> >>>> Don't your bees seal the cracks with propolis?<<<<<

> They do. But when I said that I was thinking of the young lady going from hive to hive with a roll of duct-tape.

In my experience, bees will seal things up early in the fall while gums and waxes are pliable, but if the beekeeper goes later and breaks the seal, then the bees have trouble sealing it again, since those regions are cooler, and the materials are less workable.

This where wraps help a lot. A simple wrap of tarpaper preventswind from blowing in one side and out the other, while still allowing enough air circulation to prevent wetness.  I suppose duct tape will accomplish the same.

Up north where I live, though, most of us need more than just tarpaper to ensure good wintering success.

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