Denise,
Sorry I am late getting back to you.

PROPER ventilation of a colony in the winter is far more important than
summer.
Bees BREATHE and that discharged air is warm, and warm air goes UP in cold
weather.  This exhaled breath is MOIST, and when it contacts the cold inner
cover,
it condenses into droplets of water which can "rain" down on the cluster.

Dr. Edward Southwick, years ago, subjected colonies of bees to temperatures
as low as -80°F for as long as a month, and cold does NOT kill bees.  I
repeat - COLD DOES NOT KILL BEES.  Bees when clustered can't tolerate
dampness very well, and "sick"
bees, irrespective of the sickness, be it mite infection, Nosema, or
Foulbrood,
just die due to the dampness in cold weather.

For over 40 years, I have cut a notch in the front edge of my inner cover to
serve as
an UPPER ENTRANCE in the summer, and an exhaust hole for hot moist air in the
winter. This has been referred to as a GOBLE inner cover.  Rather than I
describe it to you, see page 9 in the 2003 Brushy Mountain Bee Farm Catalog.
If you don't have that catalog, telephone 1-800-BEESWAX and they will be
happy to send you one quickly.  BTW, it is a WONDERFUL catalog that features
explanatory notes.  You might note on page 8 that Steve Forrest still can't
spell my Scottish name correctly.  Ha Ha.

I can't be bothered with putting sticks, or washers, or spacers under the
edge of an inner cover to hold it up for ventilation.  I want something that
I don't have to "mess" with, and the UPPER ENTRANCE hole in the inner cover
WORKS summer and winter.

Some beekeeper nearby, wanting to express himself, will probably say that
using that inner cover "upside down to him" will result in BURR COMB between
the cover and the frame tops.  He is correct if the bees are that crowded for
space; but who's
fault is that? Surely not the bees, so it must be the beekeeper who did not
give enough space in the supers that the bees had to build burr comb there
and prepare to swarm.  That beekeeper has a lot more to learn about
successful beekeeping.

I am sending a copy of this note to Steve Forrest at Brushy Mountain in the
hopes that he might correct the spelling of my name next year. Ha Ha.

Denise, I hope I have helped.

George Imirie - retired scientist
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper
Starting my 71st year of beekeeping just 20 miles north of President Bush's
WHITE
HOUSE.
Author of the monthly George's PINK PAGES @
www.beekeeper.org/george_imirie/index.html
Author of Hobbyist Tips for the ABF Newsletter