Migratory cover or telescoping cover?

[gardeningfireman]

In NE Ohio, is it too cold to use migratory covers? I would like to save money by using them instead of telescoping covers with inner covers, but I'm not sure about any disadvantages to them here. Any input or experience?
Thanks!

[BrentX]

This doesn't really answer your question, but it is what I know...

There is lots of heat loss through the cover of a hive. One might want to limit heat loss to help the bees get by with less feed over the winter.  How much this impacts winter survival rates could be debated.

I am amazed at how warm it was under the insulated hive covers in winter.  Obviously this made a big difference in heat loss from the hives.  Wintering in three mediums resulted in about a full 8 frame box of honey remaining in each hive at this time of the year. Of course we had a mild winter, but obviously the bees had plenty to eat through the winter.

My hives have inner covers with a 1" wide top entrance, a 1 or 2" foam insulation board cover, then a telescoping cover on top.  This is the opposite of saving money by using migratory covers.

[beyondthesidewalks]

In my neck of the woods SHB are everywhere these days.  I've always used telescoping/inner covers ever since I've started keeping bees.  With the advent of SHB, every time I remove the telescoping cover, I see SHB on inner cover.  I think it just gives them a place to hide from the bees.  I've changed some of my tops to migratory covers over the last year and this year will change out all my covers to migratory covers in an effort to keep the SHB at bay.

[ShaneJ]

In my neck of the woods SHB are everywhere these days.  I've always used telescoping/inner covers ever since I've started keeping bees.  With the advent of SHB, every time I remove the telescoping cover, I see SHB on inner cover.  I think it just gives them a place to hide from the bees.  I've changed some of my tops to migratory covers over the last year and this year will change out all my covers to migratory covers in an effort to keep the SHB at bay.

I'm only new to beekeeping, but this is exactly my experience.

[Joe D]

Hi,

As for SHB on the inner cover; I take a cd case, heat an ice pick and put a small whole just alittle ways from the corners, all the way around. Then I put some crisco shortening inside the case to attract shb,and squirt some Fipronil all around the crisco.  Place case on top of inner cover, and every few weeks take the telliscoping lid off and empty the dead SHB's out off trap.  Also have SBB with a plastic box under it with used cooking oil and apple cider vinegar about 1/4 inch deep to catch those that fall.  Haven't seen as many lately.

Joe