Increase ventilation

Replace solid bottom boards with screened bottom boards and add an upper entrance or prop the inner cover slightly to create a chimney effect that draws hot air upward and out of the hive.

Why It Works

Bees cool the hive by fanning wings at the entrance to push hot, moist air out. Screened bottom boards and upper vents create cross-ventilation, reducing internal temperature and humidity so bees spend less energy on cooling and more on foraging and brood care.

Tips

• Shim the outer cover with small sticks or popsicle sticks to create a 6-8 mm gap for heat escape
• Use a screened bottom board year-round in warm climates; add a solid insert only during winter
• Drill a 25 mm hole in the upper hive body as a permanent upper entrance
• Monitor for robbing behavior when adding extra openings, especially during nectar dearths