Peter  wrote:
>>>>Yes, it is true that dark colours absorb heat better - but they are also

more efficient radiators of heat, so your dark coloured hive may be much 
colder inside than a light coloured one when the sun goes from it<<<<<
This subject came up earlier and I learned that what you say is true. But.
The solar energy warmed up the mass of the hive ( wood , air , frames). When
the sun goes down the efficient radiation away from the hive is not the only
factor. That's on the surface. All that stored energy must be transported to
the reflecting surface by conduction. This is slower and less efficient. It
should be an easy experiment to do. A couple of electric thermometers and a
couple of bricks, one white, one black.
     A friend thought that if you painted 2 sides of your hive black and 2
sides white....you could turn the appropriate side to the sun depending on
the season. Clever, no?

Dick Marron 

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