Summer compost maintenance
In summer the risk is drying out, not slowing down. A pile in full sun can go from perfect to dusty in a fortnight, and a dry pile stops working just as completely as a frozen one. Below: the practical detail on summer compost maintenance, and what most guides leave out.
Moisture is the whole job
Check weekly by squeezing a handful from the middle, not the surface. Water while turning rather than from the top, dry material sheds water.
Shade and cover
Partial shade helps considerably. A loose cover, old carpet, a tarp, a thick straw cap, reduces evaporation while still letting air in.
The grass surge
Summer brings clippings in volume, which is a nitrogen glut. Mix them through browns rather than layering, or wilt them first. This is when your autumn leaf stockpile earns its keep.
Fruit flies
Peak season. Bury every addition under browns and the problem largely disappears.
Related
Clippings specifically: grass clippings. Flies: flies in compost. Hub: seasonal composting.
Further reading on summer compost maintenance
Independent sources worth reading alongside this page: EPA, Composting at Home · Cornell Waste Management Institute.