Ventilation Day\Night

[Zinc]

Hi - I'm located in California, the Santa Cruz mountains specifically.

I just started a new hive from a package 3 weeks back. (It's been awesome by the way! Found the queen during inspection this past weekend!)

We're in for a "warming trend" here over the next few days (they predict up over 100 degrees) and I think I'll need to prop open the the cover of my hive for better ventilation. (There had been a little condenstation on the bottom board a few weeks back when it got hotter)

Two questions:
1) How much should I prop the cover open since it's a relatively new hive and I'm feeding with an inverted feeder? Can I just sitck a couple of wedges under the inner cover? Should I push it off to the side a bit? How much?

2) The temperature (even when we get a heat spell) tends to drop back down to the low 60s at night. Am I going to be running down to the hive to "close them up at night"?

I sense I'm being a little overprotective and over-reacting a bit - but it is my first Hive and it's still pretty young.

Thanks for any help in advance!

-Craig

[Robo]

Unless they are bearding on the front, I would leave them closed up.   Since they are just getting started, I wouldn't hinder them by letting their heat get away.   They need it warm to build comb and raise brood.  By opening up the top,  you are giving them a draft thru the hive.   New bees won't be born yet, so the population is continuing to dwindle until the brood hatches.  So with fewer bees, it becomes harder to keep the hive warm.

rob...

oh,  if you can just put a small block between the inner cover and top cover to ventilate.  If you prop the inner cover, they will build burr comb on the top of the frames.