I had read an article a few weeks ago about how useful these new powered hive top ventilators. The picture bellow is from a great beekeeping site(Bee Behavior.com); where the author claims that they work very well. It does the work of the bees when it gets really hot in the hive. Instead of a lot of bees fanning the hive, the built in fan ventilates the hive quickly and allows the bees to do more important things (like collect lots of nectar and pollen). This outfit uses a digital thermometer to measure the temperature in the hive. The thermometer is attached to a thermostat which turns on a fan (similar to a brush less computer fan) to pull the air out until the hive reaches the desired temperature. This outfit is also used during the winter.
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| Bee Cool hive ventilator |
To help the bees during the heat of the summer I use a mesh bottom board, a slatted rack and a passive ventilator. I am curious to know how this system works compared to mine. Hive location is also key to avoid overheating. I place my hives so that they are shaded during the hottest times of the day.
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