> >Wrap only with black tar paper. The use of plastic of any sort
> >is strictly 'Taboo', as it prevents the hive from breathing.
 
Well, plastic is pretty well the only material used to hold insulation
for hive wraps in Western Canada any more.  Many beekeepers using it have
very high success rates.  Black plastic is also very often used for an
inner cover with as good success as wood.
 
Also many beekeepers in Northern Alberta put black plastic bags over
their entire hives after removing them from the wintering building in
spring - to cut the wind and draw heat.
 
JPC reports good success from Quebec using only Plasticore for a
wintering wrap.
 
In short, *many* very good beekeepers use plastic winter and summer.
 
Allen