Beehive Part - 4: Modified Top Cover

Our next bee hive parts for our pinoybeekeeping style is the Modified Hive Cover.

The beehive top cover is divided into two parts, namely:

1. the modified inner cover

2. the Modified Top Cover.

The Inner Cover

The inner cover commonly used in the western beekeeping is so designed such that it will keep moisture from accumulating on the roof or beehive top cover, condense & drip back to the winter cluster, thereby wetting the honeybees with chilly water which will freeze again and the honeybees with it.


However, here in tropical Philippines, the inner cover used more to protect the honeybees from heat rather than from chilly condensation. Taking lessons from our tropical home design, the modified inner cover serves as the ceiling of the beehive, insulating the colony from heat, particularly if used in tandem with our modified top cover.


We field tested two methods, taking cost of construction into consideration. One was similar to the standard inner cover and the other is a simple insulating mat placed inside the hive.

The standard inner cover

This is the plastic inner cover

(illustration to follow here)

As can bee seen, the air is trapped between the space of the top cover and the inner cover. Air is a good insulator. Trapped air expands when heated & shrink if cold, thus our Modified Top Cover is ventilated in design. This is much suited to our tropical weather.


The Modified Top Cover Design
The modified top cover is quit similar to the telescopic top cover with a slight twist. The dimension of the modified top cover is quite similar as the hive body, such that the sides of the top cover are flushed with the side of the hive body.

The critical point of the design is that the air-gap is higher than the telescopic cover. This offers a better insulation from heat during the tropical summer.

Contained also on the front and backed of the modifed top cover are two ventilation holes covered with screen wire.

The ventilation holes offers hot air exit during summer, similar to air vent on a residential roof, thus a cooling effect.

[anti-aging], [anti-biotic], [dugos], [health], [honey], [ligwan], [native honey], [Philippines], [pollen], [propolis], [royal jelly], [anti-aging], [anti-biotic], [dugos], [health], [honey], [ligwan], [native honey], [Philippines], [pollen], [propolis], [royal jelly], [anti-aging], [anti-biotic], [dugos], [health], [honey], [ligwan], [native honey], [Philippines], [pollen], [propolis], [royal jelly], [anti-aging], [anti-biotic], [dugos], [health], [honey], [ligwan], [native honey], [Philippines], [pollen], [propolis], [royal jelly]