THE INNER COVER
The Most Misunderstood Piece of Woodenware in the Hive
"Bee Space • Cold Weather Moisture Exhaust • Upper Entrances • Feeding Aid• Pest Treatment Aid
Absolutely. The Langstroth inner cover is one of the most misunderstood pieces of hive equipment because it looks like a simple wooden board, but it can perform several different jobs depending on how it is installed.
For Southwest Florida beekeeping, the inner cover becomes particularly interesting because our bees deal with heat, humidity, long brood-rearing periods, small hive beetles, robbing, frequent nectar dearths, and relatively little true wintering. Florida's warm, humid conditions favor both year-round brood production and small hive beetles.
For Southwest Florida beekeeping, the inner cover becomes particularly interesting because our bees deal with heat, humidity, long brood-rearing periods, small hive beetles, robbing, frequent nectar dearths, and relatively little true wintering. Florida's warm, humid conditions favor both year-round brood production and small hive beetles.
WHO REALLY USES AN INNER COVER?
It depends. Not every type of beekeeper uses an inner cover... and there are reasons.
In Southwest Florida, hobbyist beekeepers generally choose to use an inner cover, while commercial beekeepers choose to skip them. Sometimes hobbyist don't really choose them, but they are what comes in beginner beekeeper kits on Amazon and elsewhere.
This distinction comes down to the style of hive cover they use and the even the sheer economics of the choice.
Hobbyist Beekeepers: Choose to Use an Inner Cover or the hives they purchase automatically include telescoping lids with inner covers... some even include the little white bee escape, leather gloves, etc.
Hobbyists—who typically manage fewer than 40 hives—almost exclusively buy standard Kits and especially the wax-dipped, fancy hives on Amazon, etc. which almost always come equipped with a telescoping lid. Hobbyist like the shiny metal clad lids and lip all around... it looks cool, but if purchased outside of a kit could cost around $26 or more. Plus... the required inner cover for telescoping lids if purchased separately can be $11 or more. Since it comes with the economical kit, we don't throw away, but make use of the fancy stuff. It is a good thing to have when it cost you no more in the kit.
COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS
Commercial Beekeepers: Choose Not to Use an Inner Cover
Commercial operations—managing hundreds or thousands of colonies—opt for a more streamlined, more economical, industrial hive design.
Telescoping Lid (should use inner cover)
The inner cover sits directly on top of the uppermost hive box and underneath the telescoping outer cover. Having a telescoping cover mandates using an inner cover. If you have used them without an inner cover you will soon learn the difficulty created by not using an inner cover.
Its basic purposes are:
Let's look at the inner cover itself
A traditional inner cover generally has minimum of:
Flat center panel... This is the main wooden portion.
Raised rim/frame... This creates a controlled space between the inner cover and the outer cover.
Central hole... Many inner covers have a large oval or rectangular hole.
Depending upon the particular design, that hole can be used for:
Besides the minimum, some inner covers include a Notch in one end... This is the feature you're particularly always asking your mentor about.
The notch can function as:
But there is an important point:
There is not one universally correct "notch up" or "notch down" position.
The correct configuration depends upon the design of the inner cover, outer cover, climate, temperature, season (North versus South) and what you are trying to accomplish. Since we are SWFL we are typically only concerned with upper entrance (and pest and treatment management bee-safe spaces... or feeding) rather than differential extreme cold on outside and trapped hot air on inside creating a dripping wet inner covering actually raining on bees in winter and causing health issues that are not as prevalent in SWFL.
Why does the notch exist? The notch is essentially a controlled opening at the top of the hive. I love to think of the hive as a house and the bottom entrance is the front door
with the inner-cover notch being a second-floor door/window. I use this analogy a lot... plus of course the bees inside the trunk of a tree with only a front door... but sometimes a second entrance that they keep propolised up until they need an upper entrance.
That changes the way bees move through the hive... especially in a heavy nectar flow.
Without an upper entrance returning foragers carrying nectar may have to:
enter bottom → travel through brood chamber with dirty feet & rubbing elbows with nurse bees → move upward → reach honey super then exit the same long path to continue foraging.
HOWEVER, With an upper entrance foragers during a strong nectar flow can:
fly directly into the upper portion of the hive → unload nectar→ leave to do more foraging
Notch UP vs. notch DOWN...This is where a lot of beekeepers get confused.
There are different inner-cover designs, so always examine your particular cover.
But conceptually:
Notch DOWN configured as an upper entrance...The notch is positioned DOWN so that bees can reach it from inside the hive and exit/enter beneath the lid. You say "How can they do that with the telescoping lid on! How can that work, my telescoping fits tightly all around... now way?"
The telescoping lid must be positioned appropriately to leave that opening accessible. Your cover is sloppy in one direction for the purpose of opening and closing access to the notch. Dennis will show/demonstrate at meeting how to position (slide back and forth) the telescoping cover to allow the bees to come-and-go with lid on. Also get in the habit of always sliding cover to effectively close/obstruct coming and going at end of inspections when not wanting an upper entrance... if you fail to close you will let in wax moths, roaches, hive beetles, ants, etc. Some of us just cannot remember or aren't disciplined enough to make sure, so we staple 1/8" hardware cloth or otherwise fill/close the notch. Many of us only buy inner covers without the notch and most come without this notch in my experience. If yours does not have a notch and you want a notch... a notch is easy to cut.
Notch UP configured primarily for Northern Cold Climate moisture exhaust ventilation (not in SWFL) The opening can provide a pathway for warm, humid air to leave the hive without necessarily creating a large bee entrance that must be defended. Again an option would be is to make notch smaller than a bee or better yet cover notch with 1/8" mesh to allow exhaust of moist air in cold winters, but not allow bees to rob or come and go of large pests.
Notch UP orientation and bee space by turning the cover over (notch UP) changes the relationship between:
The most important thing about the inner cover: BEE SPACE This may actually be the inner cover's most important engineering function.
Bees don't simply occupy a hive. They modify the hive.
If you give them a space that's too small, they may seal it with propolis.
If you give them a space that's too large, they may build comb in it.
So the inner cover establishes a predictable space between the top of the frames and the underside of the telescoping lid. Without it, bees can attach:
frames → propolis → underside of lid and the beekeeper eventually discovers:
"Why won't this darn lid come off?" Choosing to not use the inner cover can allow bees to attach the cover with wax and propolis, making it extremely difficult to remove.
The inner cover and "dead air" space... This becomes particularly important in Florida only in extreme cold winters with several consecutive days of close to freezing temps.
A colony produces:
The bees themselves generate moisture simply by living and metabolizing food.
That moisture moves upward. If warm humid air encounters a "cold" surface, condensation can occur. The goal is NOT necessarily: "Make the hive as ventilated as possible." The goal is: Provide the colony with appropriate moist air exhaust without creating unnecessary drafts, excessive winter heat loss, rain entry, or pest access.
Florida's high humidity makes moisture management particularly relevant when outside hive temps drop to very cold temperatures. This is more relevant to Northern climates and rarely an issue in SWFL.
Southwest Florida is different This is where I would modify the traditional "northern beekeeping" discussion.
A northern beekeeper may be thinking about:
winter survival → cluster → snow → freezing temperatures
A Southwest Florida beekeeper is more often thinking about:
heat → humidity → rain → brood production → Varroa treatment → small hive beetles treatments/trapping → robbing → nectar dearths
Florida colonies frequently continue brood production through much of the year.
So you don't necessarily want to copy the inner-cover practices of a beekeeper in Northern states... or even northern Florida. We are in a pretty unique situation here in SWFL and not too concerned about why an inner cover is a common choice up north.
Using the "notched" version of the inner cover as an upper entrance This is one of its most useful applications in SWFL.
SUMMARY - REASONS FOR UPPER ENTRANCE
An upper entrance can:
Do NOT automatically open every hive at the top This is important.
An upper entrance isn't automatically beneficial. There are considerations and conditions that must be met. You have to consider:
Colony strength... is the colony strong enough to guard multiple entrances.
A weak colony may have difficulty defending them.
Robbing... This is especially important CONSIDERATION in SWFL.
If you create multiple openings in a weak colony during a nectar dearth, you can make the colony easier to rob. When ROBBING is a threat reduce entrances and eliminate exposed sugar syrup (breaking burr comb, leaking honey) when opening hives. Try to avoid opening up hives during peak robbing threats and limit time with lid off.
So:
Strong colony + nectar flow = upper entrance may be useful.
Weak colony + dearth + robbing = additional entrance may be a bad idea.
The inner cover and FEEDING... The center hole can be extremely useful for feeding.
Certain hive-top feeders are designed specifically to align with the hole in the inner cover.
That means you can place a feeder.above the inner cover
while the bees access the syrup through the opening. Dennis will have a sample of such a feeder at the meeting to demonstrate:
Hive-top feeders is a common feeder arrangement and especially placing/locating the feeders properly with respect to the inner-cover opening.
This has an important advantage: No feeding at entrance which can manifest robbing which can get out of control quickly, but now you can provide feed from above and protect from robbing or access other than your own bees.
Emergency feeding The center hole can also be useful when a colony needs supplemental food. This can be particularly useful when you don't want to disturb the brood nest.
But remember:
Don't arbitrarily feed your bees. Feed bees when they are "light" (need feeding). Feeding bees is not the same thing as feeding a colony that doesn't need feeding.
In Florida, feeding decisions should be based on:
BEE ESCAPE (honey harvest aid... clear supers of bees). The center hole and bee escape Here's another fascinating use. The center opening can accommodate a bee escape.
A bee escape is essentially a one-way passage. You can configure the equipment so that:
The bees can leave the honey super but have difficulty returning.
That can help remove bees from honey supers before harvesting.
There is a picture of this escape in the photos at the top of this page.
Inner cover as a moisture-management tool for Northern colder climates, but sometimes in very cold winter in Florida. This is one of the biggest concepts for extreme cold weather beekeeping...of the inner cover as part of a hive envelope.
That air space can moderate heat transfer between the exterior cover and colony.
The inner cover also helps keep moisture from directly contacting the underside of a cold outer surface. The inner cover up north helps insulate and prevent moisture-laden air from directly contacting cold outside hive surfaces.
STOP THINKING "I NEED TO VENTILATE BECAUSE IT IS SOOOO HOT!" BEES ARE BEARDING THEY NEED VENTILATION"
Winter exhaust of warm moist air to prevent condensation is not heat control. This isn't the same thing as "open everything" This is a common misunderstanding. More ventilation isn't automatically better especially in Hot Weather and hot SWFL weather and temps.
You want:
Controlled winter exhaust of humid air that is much warmer than the contrasting cold outside air temp in Northern Climates... and not uncontrolled airflow here in the hot days of summer. For Southwest Florida, I would think in terms of:
Air "dead space" without movement + shade + rain protection + drainage + colony strength rather than simply: "Open the screened bottom boards, prop/shim top lids, drill holes or ventilate." Controlled airflow under the telescope lid is only recommended when appropriate (extreme cold outside/warm hive inside) for moisture control... not heat control.
WHAT IF I INSTALL INNER COVER INCORRECTLY?
One of the biggest mistakes: creating an unintended entrance Suppose the inner cover is installed incorrectly.
You may accidentally create:
½-inch gap
instead of:
bee-space opening
The bees may respond by:
Burr comb under the inner cover If you regularly see comb hanging from the underside of the inner cover, ask:
Why is there excessive space?
Possible causes include:
29. A useful SWFL seasonal approach I'd think of the inner cover this way:
SituationInner-cover consideration
Strong nectar flow...Upper entrance may be useful
Strong colony...Can generally defend additional access better
Weak colony...Avoid unnecessary openings
Nectar dearth...Be cautious with upper entrances
Robbing...Reduce openings
Feeding...Center hole may accommodate hive-top feeder
Emergency feeding...Center opening can provide access
Heavy rain...Keep rain out while maintaining appropriate ventilation
Hot weather... Insulating by "dead air" space can help heat transmission
High humidity Northern Cold Weather... Moisture management can become important
Honey harvest Center opening can accommodate bee escape
Winter in SWFL Usually not treated like a northern deep-winter hive
Stop thinking of the inner cover as:
"That wooden board underneath the lid."
Instead, think of it as:
THE CONTROL PANEL BETWEEN THE COLONY AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
It controls or influences:
Bee space
↓
Airflow
↓
Moisture
↓
Heat transfer
↓
Upper entrance
↓
Feeding access
↓
Bee escape
↓
Ease of inspection
↓
Propolis management
↓
Hive traffic
And indirectly:
Robbing management
Small hive beetle management
Seasonal management
Honey-super management
In conclusion: "notch up" or "notch down" as an absolute rule.
but more of a concern would be:
"Know what the notch is doing."
In Southwest Florida, hobbyist beekeepers generally choose to use an inner cover, while commercial beekeepers choose to skip them. Sometimes hobbyist don't really choose them, but they are what comes in beginner beekeeper kits on Amazon and elsewhere.
This distinction comes down to the style of hive cover they use and the even the sheer economics of the choice.
Hobbyist Beekeepers: Choose to Use an Inner Cover or the hives they purchase automatically include telescoping lids with inner covers... some even include the little white bee escape, leather gloves, etc.
Hobbyists—who typically manage fewer than 40 hives—almost exclusively buy standard Kits and especially the wax-dipped, fancy hives on Amazon, etc. which almost always come equipped with a telescoping lid. Hobbyist like the shiny metal clad lids and lip all around... it looks cool, but if purchased outside of a kit could cost around $26 or more. Plus... the required inner cover for telescoping lids if purchased separately can be $11 or more. Since it comes with the economical kit, we don't throw away, but make use of the fancy stuff. It is a good thing to have when it cost you no more in the kit.
- Why they use inner cover with telescoping lid?: A telescoping lid has lips that hang down over the sides of the hive box. If placed directly on the box, the bees will use propolis (bee glue) to seal those lips tight, making the lid nearly impossible to pry off without damaging the wood. An inner cover creates a barrier that keeps the outer lid free.
- The Florida Moist Hot Air Advantage: In Southwest Florida's brutal climate, hobbyists use the inner cover to create a "dead air" insulation space right below the hot metal lid, shielding the colony from direct radiant heat. Many local hobbyists also use "notched" inner covers to create an upper entrance which can be useful at certain times when robbing or other issues would prohibit or not make logical sense to have an upper entrance considering wax moths, hive beetles, roaches, carpenter (bull) ants. Some believe it is allowing hot air to escape out the top of the hive, but remember it could also become an intake of moist air rather than an exhaust. Moist humid air makes air conditioning (by the bees) more difficult. Also an open notch entrance negates the "dead air" insulating effect... if the air can move it no longer is a dead/trapped air space insulator. However, it does help in cold climates and long rare Florida winters.
COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS
Commercial Beekeepers: Choose Not to Use an Inner Cover
Commercial operations—managing hundreds or thousands of colonies—opt for a more streamlined, more economical, industrial hive design.
- Why they skip it: Commercial beekeepers use flat, flush-fitting migratory lids rather than telescoping covers. Because migratory lids do not hang down over the sides, a beekeeper can quickly slip a hive tool right under the edge and pop the lid off in seconds. This makes an inner cover entirely redundant. Dennis will bring a sample of the migratory lid, plus a regular plywood lid often used.
- Efficiency and Cost: For someone managing thousands of hives, an inner cover is just an extra expense and a time-wasting extra step during rapid hive inspections. Furthermore, flat migratory lids allow commercial operations to pack hives tightly against one another on pallets for transport, which wouldn't be possible with protruding telescoping tops.
- The Florida Heat Workaround: Instead of using an inner cover for ventilation, commercial beekeepers in Florida keep their hives cool by painting them highly reflective white and opening up entrances when safe from robbing to allow more fanning at entrance, so the bees cool the hive naturally the same as if they were inside a tree. Remember they only have to fan enough to lower temperatures to around 90 degrees. They are not humans... they are bees and they set their thermostats to 90 to 94 and not 68 to 77 like humans. Expelling moist air is better than ventilating by intaking moist air.
Telescoping Lid (should use inner cover)
The inner cover sits directly on top of the uppermost hive box and underneath the telescoping outer cover. Having a telescoping cover mandates using an inner cover. If you have used them without an inner cover you will soon learn the difficulty created by not using an inner cover.
Its basic purposes are:
- Maintain the proper 3/8" bee space (flat covers leave less than 1/4" space)
- Keep bees from gluing the underside of lid to the frames with propolis
- Create an air space underneath the outer cover (dead-air insulation)
- Provide a potential upper entrance
- Provide access for some feeding systems
- Provide an opening for certain bee escapes
- Give the beekeeper a convenient surface before actually exposing all the top bars and potentially trigger defense to abrupt opening up hive. You can peek through the center hole of the inner cover... or slide cover partially off and see all you need to see without shocking the bees all at once with wide open hive top. .
Let's look at the inner cover itself
A traditional inner cover generally has minimum of:
Flat center panel... This is the main wooden portion.
Raised rim/frame... This creates a controlled space between the inner cover and the outer cover.
Central hole... Many inner covers have a large oval or rectangular hole.
Depending upon the particular design, that hole can be used for:
- hive-top feeding (and if careful some treatments)
- emergency feeding
- a bee escape insert oval hole (for clearing bees from supers at harvest)
Besides the minimum, some inner covers include a Notch in one end... This is the feature you're particularly always asking your mentor about.
The notch can function as:
- upper entrance (during major nectar flows)
- an bee escape route (exit to clear honey super for harvest)
- part of the hive's moisture-management system in cold winters (cold climates)
But there is an important point:
There is not one universally correct "notch up" or "notch down" position.
The correct configuration depends upon the design of the inner cover, outer cover, climate, temperature, season (North versus South) and what you are trying to accomplish. Since we are SWFL we are typically only concerned with upper entrance (and pest and treatment management bee-safe spaces... or feeding) rather than differential extreme cold on outside and trapped hot air on inside creating a dripping wet inner covering actually raining on bees in winter and causing health issues that are not as prevalent in SWFL.
Why does the notch exist? The notch is essentially a controlled opening at the top of the hive. I love to think of the hive as a house and the bottom entrance is the front door
with the inner-cover notch being a second-floor door/window. I use this analogy a lot... plus of course the bees inside the trunk of a tree with only a front door... but sometimes a second entrance that they keep propolised up until they need an upper entrance.
That changes the way bees move through the hive... especially in a heavy nectar flow.
Without an upper entrance returning foragers carrying nectar may have to:
enter bottom → travel through brood chamber with dirty feet & rubbing elbows with nurse bees → move upward → reach honey super then exit the same long path to continue foraging.
HOWEVER, With an upper entrance foragers during a strong nectar flow can:
fly directly into the upper portion of the hive → unload nectar→ leave to do more foraging
Notch UP vs. notch DOWN...This is where a lot of beekeepers get confused.
There are different inner-cover designs, so always examine your particular cover.
But conceptually:
Notch DOWN configured as an upper entrance...The notch is positioned DOWN so that bees can reach it from inside the hive and exit/enter beneath the lid. You say "How can they do that with the telescoping lid on! How can that work, my telescoping fits tightly all around... now way?"
The telescoping lid must be positioned appropriately to leave that opening accessible. Your cover is sloppy in one direction for the purpose of opening and closing access to the notch. Dennis will show/demonstrate at meeting how to position (slide back and forth) the telescoping cover to allow the bees to come-and-go with lid on. Also get in the habit of always sliding cover to effectively close/obstruct coming and going at end of inspections when not wanting an upper entrance... if you fail to close you will let in wax moths, roaches, hive beetles, ants, etc. Some of us just cannot remember or aren't disciplined enough to make sure, so we staple 1/8" hardware cloth or otherwise fill/close the notch. Many of us only buy inner covers without the notch and most come without this notch in my experience. If yours does not have a notch and you want a notch... a notch is easy to cut.
Notch UP configured primarily for Northern Cold Climate moisture exhaust ventilation (not in SWFL) The opening can provide a pathway for warm, humid air to leave the hive without necessarily creating a large bee entrance that must be defended. Again an option would be is to make notch smaller than a bee or better yet cover notch with 1/8" mesh to allow exhaust of moist air in cold winters, but not allow bees to rob or come and go of large pests.
Notch UP orientation and bee space by turning the cover over (notch UP) changes the relationship between:
- top bars
- lid inner surface
- available bee space
The most important thing about the inner cover: BEE SPACE This may actually be the inner cover's most important engineering function.
Bees don't simply occupy a hive. They modify the hive.
If you give them a space that's too small, they may seal it with propolis.
If you give them a space that's too large, they may build comb in it.
So the inner cover establishes a predictable space between the top of the frames and the underside of the telescoping lid. Without it, bees can attach:
frames → propolis → underside of lid and the beekeeper eventually discovers:
"Why won't this darn lid come off?" Choosing to not use the inner cover can allow bees to attach the cover with wax and propolis, making it extremely difficult to remove.
The inner cover and "dead air" space... This becomes particularly important in Florida only in extreme cold winters with several consecutive days of close to freezing temps.
A colony produces:
- heat
- water vapor
- carbon dioxide
The bees themselves generate moisture simply by living and metabolizing food.
That moisture moves upward. If warm humid air encounters a "cold" surface, condensation can occur. The goal is NOT necessarily: "Make the hive as ventilated as possible." The goal is: Provide the colony with appropriate moist air exhaust without creating unnecessary drafts, excessive winter heat loss, rain entry, or pest access.
Florida's high humidity makes moisture management particularly relevant when outside hive temps drop to very cold temperatures. This is more relevant to Northern climates and rarely an issue in SWFL.
Southwest Florida is different This is where I would modify the traditional "northern beekeeping" discussion.
A northern beekeeper may be thinking about:
winter survival → cluster → snow → freezing temperatures
A Southwest Florida beekeeper is more often thinking about:
heat → humidity → rain → brood production → Varroa treatment → small hive beetles treatments/trapping → robbing → nectar dearths
Florida colonies frequently continue brood production through much of the year.
So you don't necessarily want to copy the inner-cover practices of a beekeeper in Northern states... or even northern Florida. We are in a pretty unique situation here in SWFL and not too concerned about why an inner cover is a common choice up north.
Using the "notched" version of the inner cover as an upper entrance This is one of its most useful applications in SWFL.
SUMMARY - REASONS FOR UPPER ENTRANCE
An upper entrance can:
- give foragers another entrance during heavy nectar flow and no robbing threats
- reduce forager traffic congestion at the bottom entrance
- allow nectar carriers easier access to supers... in and out and back to work
- provide additional moisture exhaust path primarily in extreme very cold back-to-back winter days
- Do not get hung up on the word "ventilation" when watching You-Tube or listening to speakers/educators north of Orlando area. SWFL is different... even though the rest of Florida may disagree. Keep hives tight and closed up and let them regulate using the main entrance. You don't even need screened bottom boards except for integrated pest management and monitoring. Screened bottom board should typically be kept closed to avoid unnatural ventilation and entry of warm moist air when the bees are trying to dry, regulate, and air conditional their house without somebody leaving the screen doors open... doesn't make sense in a house... nor in a bee hive.
Do NOT automatically open every hive at the top This is important.
An upper entrance isn't automatically beneficial. There are considerations and conditions that must be met. You have to consider:
Colony strength... is the colony strong enough to guard multiple entrances.
A weak colony may have difficulty defending them.
Robbing... This is especially important CONSIDERATION in SWFL.
If you create multiple openings in a weak colony during a nectar dearth, you can make the colony easier to rob. When ROBBING is a threat reduce entrances and eliminate exposed sugar syrup (breaking burr comb, leaking honey) when opening hives. Try to avoid opening up hives during peak robbing threats and limit time with lid off.
So:
Strong colony + nectar flow = upper entrance may be useful.
Weak colony + dearth + robbing = additional entrance may be a bad idea.
The inner cover and FEEDING... The center hole can be extremely useful for feeding.
Certain hive-top feeders are designed specifically to align with the hole in the inner cover.
That means you can place a feeder.above the inner cover
while the bees access the syrup through the opening. Dennis will have a sample of such a feeder at the meeting to demonstrate:
Hive-top feeders is a common feeder arrangement and especially placing/locating the feeders properly with respect to the inner-cover opening.
This has an important advantage: No feeding at entrance which can manifest robbing which can get out of control quickly, but now you can provide feed from above and protect from robbing or access other than your own bees.
Emergency feeding The center hole can also be useful when a colony needs supplemental food. This can be particularly useful when you don't want to disturb the brood nest.
But remember:
Don't arbitrarily feed your bees. Feed bees when they are "light" (need feeding). Feeding bees is not the same thing as feeding a colony that doesn't need feeding.
In Florida, feeding decisions should be based on:
- colony strength
- available nectar
- stored honey
- brood production
- weather
- local forage
BEE ESCAPE (honey harvest aid... clear supers of bees). The center hole and bee escape Here's another fascinating use. The center opening can accommodate a bee escape.
A bee escape is essentially a one-way passage. You can configure the equipment so that:
The bees can leave the honey super but have difficulty returning.
That can help remove bees from honey supers before harvesting.
There is a picture of this escape in the photos at the top of this page.
Inner cover as a moisture-management tool for Northern colder climates, but sometimes in very cold winter in Florida. This is one of the biggest concepts for extreme cold weather beekeeping...of the inner cover as part of a hive envelope.
That air space can moderate heat transfer between the exterior cover and colony.
The inner cover also helps keep moisture from directly contacting the underside of a cold outer surface. The inner cover up north helps insulate and prevent moisture-laden air from directly contacting cold outside hive surfaces.
STOP THINKING "I NEED TO VENTILATE BECAUSE IT IS SOOOO HOT!" BEES ARE BEARDING THEY NEED VENTILATION"
Winter exhaust of warm moist air to prevent condensation is not heat control. This isn't the same thing as "open everything" This is a common misunderstanding. More ventilation isn't automatically better especially in Hot Weather and hot SWFL weather and temps.
You want:
Controlled winter exhaust of humid air that is much warmer than the contrasting cold outside air temp in Northern Climates... and not uncontrolled airflow here in the hot days of summer. For Southwest Florida, I would think in terms of:
Air "dead space" without movement + shade + rain protection + drainage + colony strength rather than simply: "Open the screened bottom boards, prop/shim top lids, drill holes or ventilate." Controlled airflow under the telescope lid is only recommended when appropriate (extreme cold outside/warm hive inside) for moisture control... not heat control.
WHAT IF I INSTALL INNER COVER INCORRECTLY?
One of the biggest mistakes: creating an unintended entrance Suppose the inner cover is installed incorrectly.
You may accidentally create:
½-inch gap
instead of:
bee-space opening
The bees may respond by:
- building burr comb
- propolizing the space
- creating additional comb
- modifying the opening themselves
Burr comb under the inner cover If you regularly see comb hanging from the underside of the inner cover, ask:
Why is there excessive space?
Possible causes include:
- inner cover orientation (slid forward from notch, UP versus DOWN positions)
- manufacturing dimensions (rare, but usually inner covers are pretty precise)
- warped equipment
- improperly seated cover (modified or shimmed by well-meaning beekeeper)
- excessive spacing (wrong side up... or shimmed by beekeeper trying to help)
- hive components from different manufacturers (cover from one, inner cover from another)
29. A useful SWFL seasonal approach I'd think of the inner cover this way:
SituationInner-cover consideration
Strong nectar flow...Upper entrance may be useful
Strong colony...Can generally defend additional access better
Weak colony...Avoid unnecessary openings
Nectar dearth...Be cautious with upper entrances
Robbing...Reduce openings
Feeding...Center hole may accommodate hive-top feeder
Emergency feeding...Center opening can provide access
Heavy rain...Keep rain out while maintaining appropriate ventilation
Hot weather... Insulating by "dead air" space can help heat transmission
High humidity Northern Cold Weather... Moisture management can become important
Honey harvest Center opening can accommodate bee escape
Winter in SWFL Usually not treated like a northern deep-winter hive
Stop thinking of the inner cover as:
"That wooden board underneath the lid."
Instead, think of it as:
THE CONTROL PANEL BETWEEN THE COLONY AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
It controls or influences:
Bee space
↓
Airflow
↓
Moisture
↓
Heat transfer
↓
Upper entrance
↓
Feeding access
↓
Bee escape
↓
Ease of inspection
↓
Propolis management
↓
Hive traffic
And indirectly:
Robbing management
Small hive beetle management
Seasonal management
Honey-super management
In conclusion: "notch up" or "notch down" as an absolute rule.
but more of a concern would be:
"Know what the notch is doing."
- Is it an upper entrance?
- Is it an extreme cold multiple days weather moisture exhaust?
- Is it being used for feeding?
- Is it providing access to a bee escape?
- Is the colony strong enough to defend it?
- Are we in a nectar flow or dearth?
- Are small hive beetles present?
- Are we feeding?
- Does the treatment being used require a particular hive configuration?
The Notch Explained: Up vs. Down
The way you orient your notched inner cover depends significantly on your local climate. While northern beekeepers use specific seasonal configurations to manage freezing temperatures and extreme condensation, keeping bees in Southwest Florida requires a completely different strategy tailored to extreme heat, humidity, and robbing pests.
Here is how to use an inner cover correctly, contrasting the two regions.
The Quick Rules for Southwest Florida
Understanding the Sides: Deep Rim vs. Flat Side
A standard Langstroth inner cover has a "flat" side (shallow 1/8-inch rim) and a "deep" side (3/8-inch rim).
Here is how to use an inner cover correctly, contrasting the two regions.
The Quick Rules for Southwest Florida
- Orientation: Flat side down / Deep rim side UP year-round.
- The Notch: Facing UP (toward the sky) and positioned at the front of the hive.
- Telescoping Cover Position: Keep the outer telescoping cover pushed all the way back to hide the notch, or swap it out entirely.
Understanding the Sides: Deep Rim vs. Flat Side
A standard Langstroth inner cover has a "flat" side (shallow 1/8-inch rim) and a "deep" side (3/8-inch rim).
- In Northern Climates: Beekeepers often flip the inner cover seasonally. They run the flat side down in summer to maintain perfect 3/8-inch bee space above the frames, and flip the deep side down in winter to create extra cluster space and room for sugar candy blocks or emergency winter patties.
- In Southwest Florida: You should keep the flat side down (deep side UP) all year long. Dropping the deep side down in Florida's warm climate gives the bees too much space above the frames. Because they don't cluster for warmth, they will quickly fill that extra space with messy, unwanted burr comb.
Understanding the Sides: Deep Rim vs. Flat Side
The small cutout (notch) on the inner cover rim has two functions: it acts as a ventilation channel or a top entrance
Pro-Tips for Managing the Cover in SW Florida
- Control the Outer Cover: When you place your telescoping outer cover over the inner cover, push the outer cover fully forward if you want to open the top entrance (typically only done during a heavy summer honey flow). During the rest of the year, push the outer cover all the way back so the lip hangs over and completely blocks the upward-facing notch, preventing pests from creeping in.
- Beware of Propolis: Because Florida stays warm, bees will heavily propolize (glue down) anything they can't control. The main reason to use an inner cover in Florida is simply to stop the bees from gluing your heavy outer telescoping cover directly to the honey boxes.
- The "No Inner Cover" Alternative: Many commercial and hobbyist beekeepers in Florida ditch the inner cover and telescoping lid altogether. Instead, they switch to Migratory Lids (flat lids with no overhanging sides). They work wonderfully in hot climates because they don't trap dead hot air, are easier to pry off, and don't require you to worry about notches!
A one-way bee escape is a completely different tool than the built-in rim notch, though they are often used together on the exact same inner cover.
If you are looking to clear bees out of your honey supers before harvesting in Southwest Florida, here is how the one-way escape, the oval hole, and the rim notch all work together.
The Mechanics: Oval Hole vs. Rim Notch
Most standard Langstroth inner covers feature a large oblong/oval hole right in the center. This hole is specifically sized to fit a plastic or metal insert called a Porter Bee Escape.
Step-by-Step: Setting it up for Honey Harvesting
When you are ready to harvest honey, you use the inner cover as an escape board. KK! Here is the exact way to stack it:
The Big Florida Danger: Robbing
If you leave the outer rim notch open while clearing a honey super, you will accidentally trigger a robbing frenzy.
Because the one-way escape traps the bees down in the brood nest, the honey supers above the board become completely unguarded. If the rim notch is left open to the outside air, nearby colonies or wasps will smell the defenseless honey, fly right into the notch, and rob your entire honey harvest clean within a few hours. Always ensure the telescoping lid covers that notch completely during an escape operation
If you are looking to clear bees out of your honey supers before harvesting in Southwest Florida, here is how the one-way escape, the oval hole, and the rim notch all work together.
The Mechanics: Oval Hole vs. Rim Notch
Most standard Langstroth inner covers feature a large oblong/oval hole right in the center. This hole is specifically sized to fit a plastic or metal insert called a Porter Bee Escape.
- The Center Oval Hole: This is where you snap in the one-way bee escape device. It uses flexible plastic leaf springs or a maze design that lets bees squeeze down out of the honey supers but prevents them from climbing back up.
- The Outer Rim Notch: This is the small cutout on the wooden frame edge of your inner cover.
Step-by-Step: Setting it up for Honey Harvesting
When you are ready to harvest honey, you use the inner cover as an escape board. KK! Here is the exact way to stack it:
- Insert the Escape: Snap your one-way bee escape into the center oval hole of the inner cover. Make sure the exit side faces down.
- Place the Board: Remove your honey supers, place the inner cover directly on top of your uppermost brood box, and then stack your honey supers back on top of it.
- The Rim Notch Alignment: Keep the inner cover flat side down / notch UP.
- Seal the Notch (Crucial for Florida!): When using a bee escape, you must block the rim notch. Put your telescoping outer cover on and pull or push it so that the rim completely seals the notch closed.
The Big Florida Danger: Robbing
If you leave the outer rim notch open while clearing a honey super, you will accidentally trigger a robbing frenzy.
Because the one-way escape traps the bees down in the brood nest, the honey supers above the board become completely unguarded. If the rim notch is left open to the outside air, nearby colonies or wasps will smell the defenseless honey, fly right into the notch, and rob your entire honey harvest clean within a few hours. Always ensure the telescoping lid covers that notch completely during an escape operation
Using your inner cover as a feeding platform is one of its most practical features. By utilizing the center oval hole, you can feed syrup or sugar directly to the bees without exposing the rest of the hive to robbing pests or dropping the core temperature. [1, 2]
For your setup in Southwest Florida, you must keep the rim notch configuration tightly sealed to avoid disaster.
Managing the Notch (Critical Florida Step
When feeding your colony, you must completely seal the inner cover's rim notch.
Feeding sugar syrup naturally creates a strong scent that advertises free food to every nearby colony and wasp. Because the empty top box has no bees actively patrolling it, leaving the notch open gives robbers a direct, unguarded highway straight to your syrup bucket.
3 Ways to Feed Through the Oval Hole
Depending on your preference, you can deploy three common feeder types directly over the center hole:
For your setup in Southwest Florida, you must keep the rim notch configuration tightly sealed to avoid disaster.
Managing the Notch (Critical Florida Step
When feeding your colony, you must completely seal the inner cover's rim notch.
Feeding sugar syrup naturally creates a strong scent that advertises free food to every nearby colony and wasp. Because the empty top box has no bees actively patrolling it, leaving the notch open gives robbers a direct, unguarded highway straight to your syrup bucket.
- How to seal it: Keep the inner cover notch facing UP. Place your telescoping lid on the hive and slide or push it firmly so its wooden sides completely cover and block that notch from the outside world.
3 Ways to Feed Through the Oval Hole
Depending on your preference, you can deploy three common feeder types directly over the center hole:
- Inverted Bucket or Jar Feeders: This is the cheapest and most common method. Take a 1-gallon plastic bucket feeder or a mason jar with tiny holes punched in the lid. Fill it with syrup, flip it upside down, and sit the mesh screen or lid directly over the inner cover hole. Tip: Place two small wooden dowels or pencils on either side of the hole so the bucket sits slightly elevated, allowing more bees to access the mesh at once.
- Rapid Feeders: These round plastic top feeders feature a central chimney cup. You place the feeder directly over the oval hole. The bees climb up through the inner cover, up the middle of the feeder, and drink down the plastic wall under a protective clear cap.
- Dry Sugar Feeding: During a brief winter dearth in Florida, you can place a piece of newspaper over the frames, put the inner cover on, and pour damp sugar directly over the center hole area using a small rim shim to feed them dry carbohydrates.
The space right beneath and around your inner cover is the absolute primary battleground for Small Hive Beetles (SHB), making it a powerful weapon for pest control when utilized correctly.
Because honeybees naturally chase and corral hive beetles upward into the tightest, darkest corners of the hive to trap them, the inner cover acts as a natural containment zone. Here is how to exploit that behavior for beetle management and mite treatments in Southwest Florida.
Controlling Small Hive Beetles via the Inner Cover
Adult beetles hate light and open spaces, so they run straight up to the inner cover to hide from aggressive guard bees. You can trap them right there using two methods: [1, 2]
1. The "Fuzzy Sheet" Trap Trick
2. The Rim-Notch Warning
Using the Inner Cover for Mite & Disease Treatments
The center oval hole and the space provided by the inner cover rim are perfect for administering common hive treatments.
Because honeybees naturally chase and corral hive beetles upward into the tightest, darkest corners of the hive to trap them, the inner cover acts as a natural containment zone. Here is how to exploit that behavior for beetle management and mite treatments in Southwest Florida.
Controlling Small Hive Beetles via the Inner Cover
Adult beetles hate light and open spaces, so they run straight up to the inner cover to hide from aggressive guard bees. You can trap them right there using two methods: [1, 2]
1. The "Fuzzy Sheet" Trap Trick
- The Setup: Take an unscented, original Swiffer Sweeper dry cloth or a generic equivalent. Cut it into halves or quarters.
- Placement: Lay the cloth square directly on top of the frames in the uppermost box, positioned right in the back corners. Put your inner cover down right over them (flat side down to press the cloth firmly).
- How it works: The bees will tease the fibers of the sheet, turning it incredibly fuzzy. As they chase the beetles into the corners, the beetles run onto the sheet, and the microscopic barbs on their legs get irreversibly entangled in the fluff. You can easily squash and swap out the beetle-filled sheets during your next inspection. [1, 2]
2. The Rim-Notch Warning
- If you keep your inner cover notch facing down or leave it exposed to the outside, you create a dark, unguarded upper entrance right where the beetles congregate. [1]
- Keep the inner cover flat side down / notch UP and slide your telescoping cover all the way back to block that notch. Forcing the beetles to stay inside the hive footprint keeps them surrounded by your defender bees, rather than giving them an easy escape route or a secret entry door.
Using the Inner Cover for Mite & Disease Treatments
The center oval hole and the space provided by the inner cover rim are perfect for administering common hive treatments.
- Formic Pro / Mite Away Quick Strips (Varroa Mites): These temperature-sensitive gel strips release formic acid vapors to kill mites. The treatment requires adequate hive ventilation. Keeping your inner cover flat side down / notch UP with the outer cover pushed slightly forward opens up a safe chimney draft, allowing excess fumes to rise up and out so you do not accidentally burn or kill your queen during Florida's hot weeks.
- Thymol Treatments (Apiguard / Api Life Var): These are gel trays or wafer pads placed directly on top of the hive frames. The 3/8-inch rim space on the deep side (facing UP) of your inner cover provides the exact height clearance needed to house these treatment pads. You place the pad over the center hole, put an empty rim shim or an empty super over it, and seal it with the lid to let the vapors slowly sink down through the colony.