> I find that damp, cold pockets are death to bees over winter. My bees
 > winter best on south facing slopes with good sun exposure.

Dampness spreads out along the ground at night, and is sometimes
visible as a fog on the ground.

Just getting hives up off the ground can make a big difference in
temperature and humidity, particularly at night and early morning.

I never had much luck wintering singles on the ground, but placing a
box under, with or without frames and even with an inner cover
on top of the bottom box, made a huge difference.

A foot or two is all it takes.

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