Blue Mould

i was referring to the updraft when you take the crownboard off, for inspections / manipulations.
all my hives are in sheltered positions, btw.

the maff data is regarding bee losses due to damp, not something my hives suffer with

There was I thinking we were trying to get rid of blue mould. Not go through the intricacies of the right and wrongs of perceived correct procedure. I would not want spores from the blue mould going into the BB. Remove affected crownboard and roof then examine how the water is getting onto the crownboard.

tonybloke said:

i was referring to the updraft when you take the crownboard off, for inspections / manipulations.
all my hives are in sheltered positions, btw.

the maff data is regarding bee losses due to damp, not something my hives suffer with

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Have never felt a draught though.

MAFF was not soley regarding damp, even 'stowed-in-the-wolds old beekeepers agreed conditions and their stock improved with OMF. Makes sense really, most stock is kept in open air environment even when confined. Otherwise they suffer.

BBG said:

MAFF was not soley regarding damp, even 'stowed-in-the-wolds old beekeepers agreed conditions and their stock improved with OMF

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I don't agree.

That's because you're 'stowed-on-Exmoor' !

duplicate

Anduril said:

There was I thinking we were trying to get rid of blue mould. Not go through the intricacies of the right and wrongs of perceived correct procedure. I would not want spores from the blue mould going into the BB. Remove affected crownboard and roof then examine how the water is getting onto the crownboard.

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well i think the blue mould is due to using linseed oil on WBP ply,

i use to use it and crown boards went mouldy stored in the shed, now without linseed the same boards, same shed don't go mouldy and neither do the crown boards on my hives ( unless i have dripped the syrup)

and i DON'T use match sticks as i have open OMF all year round except when monitoring...

with closed OMF with the board in 24/7 you might as well use solid floors with a twopence piece or old half penny under the crown ( my grandfathers alternative to matchsticks when he used solid floors)

MuswellMetro said:

well i think the blue mould is due to using linseed oil,

i use to use it and crown boards went mouldy stored in the shed, now without linseed the same boards, same shed don't go mouldy and neither do the crown boards on my hives ( unless i have dripped the syrup)

and i DON'T use match sticks as i have 4" winter insulation and open OMF all year round except when monitoring...

with closed OMF with the board in 24/7 you might as well use solid floors with a twopence piece or old half penny under the crown ( my grandfathers alternative to matchsticks when he used solid floors)

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Thank you MM, I haven't used linseed oil on any of my hives so could not answer it correctly. It is nice to get an answer for Cedar!

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Answer is simple. If you do not have insulation, moisture condensates onto inner cover and keep it wet. Stics too kepp the cover cold which accumulate moisture.

tonybloke said:

why spend 20 quid on an omf when the solid floors are perfectly fine for my bees?

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The majority of our wooden Smith unit still have solid floors,and winter with the entrance fully open.....note its a 3/8" deep so no mouse guards needed.

We NEVER, even with solid floors, raise the cover board to allow exit of air upwards. Its traditional wisdom, but like a lot of such stuff probably owes its origins to the opinion of some 'big dog' in the craft back in antiquity. It does not work to the bees advantage overall as it addresses one problem only but unfortunately exacerbates others.

Raw linseed oil can go mouldy btw.going back to the OP. It biodegrades and in a damp situation gets a bloom of mould on it.........have my old cricket bat in my store to bear witness to that.

Yes....strange beast...a Scot whose game was cricket.

Into the lions den said:

The majority of our wooden Smith unit still have solid floors,and winter with the entrance fully open.....note its a 3/8" deep so no mouse guards needed.

We NEVER, even with solid floors, raise the cover board to allow exit of air upwards. Its traditional wisdom, but like a lot of such stuff probably owes its origins to the opinion of some 'big dog' in the craft back in antiquity. It does not work to the bees advantage overall as it addresses one problem only but unfortunately exacerbates others.

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ITLD - Out of interest, do you insulate your wooden Smiths at all?

"Perhaps DrS should have said 'ideally with OMFs'. "

sorry rab - what i meant was any "ventilated floor" BUT was specifically referring to the OPer who is on OMF.

solid floorers - i was simply setting out how OP hive should be set up NOT a model/advice for everyone.

"I do read the forum, but like any good forum their is usually more than 1 suggested solution to any problem."

Granted but having read and contributed to most threads on the topic i would argue that there has been a pretty good consensus re what to do for OMF'd hives ie insulation and no matchsticks.

Into the lions den said:

Raw linseed oil can go mouldy btw.going back to the OP. .

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There is no reason to treat inner cover with oils.

I use a raw pruce wood 9 mm thick. Moisture penetrates it and perenates 7 cm insulation. =respirative construction.

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Cedar - Had a similar problem of mould appearing on the underside of the roof in the corners, even with OMF, insulation above etc. Worked out the corner folds to the galvanised roofing (Bees on a Budget) weren't exactly flush allowing driving rain to enter. It was simply solved by working some sealant into the gaps, on all 4no. corners, with my thumb.

It was simply solved by working some sealant into the gaps, on all 4no. corners, with my thumb.

On the assumption that 'prevention is better than cure' (maybe from 'a stitch in time saves nine') a small strip of something wrapped around the corner and stuck in place before fitting the galv. st. cover, or sealant on the corners at that point would be the better alternative for all those with folded steel roofs. I fitted all the corners on the ten roofs I made last year with thin aluminium corner pieces (bent and hammered to fit) then the aluminium foof sheets (so much lighter than the galv. steel ones).

RAB

Thanks all, I did wonder if the linseed oil was part of the problem. I'll replace crown board and roof. C

Monsieur Abeille said:

ITLD - Out of interest, do you insulate your wooden Smiths at all?

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In the absence of feeders, then no. In the last couple of years we have had a poly feeder made for each one and tend to leave them on all winter as a hive top insulation. Some places we cannot do that due to woodpeckers, rabbits, squirrels, and great tits.. The middle two are a pest in really poor weather when getting at syrup inside the feeder can be an incentive to gnaw.

We bought poly feeders for all our wooden Langs a few seasons back, and noticed an improvement in overwintering, so had a mould made for our Smith ones.

Into the lions den said:

In the absence of feeders, then no. In the last couple of years we have had a poly feeder made for each one and tend to leave them on all winter as a hive top insulation. Some places we cannot do that due to woodpeckers, rabbits, squirrels, and great tits.. The middle two are a pest in really poor weather when getting at syrup inside the feeder can be an incentive to gnaw.

We bought poly feeders for all our wooden Langs a few seasons back, and noticed an improvement in overwintering, so had a mould made for our Smith ones.

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Thanks - I do like the idea of coupling the top insulation with the vessel for feeding