Back in the 1970's I ran five hives just north of Indianapolis, Indiana on the west side of a barn on a concrete pad. To the west of the pad was a corn field which was typically bush hogged so there was no mitigating the west winds from blowing across the surface of the field. At that time I was running solid bottom boards with reduced entrances. What I did do was place 3/4 inch blocks of wood above and at the corners of the inner cover so there was good airflow through the hive. In the time I was there, about three winters, I never lost a colony and they seemed to come through the winters in good shape. I'm thinking that removal of moisture in the hive was key to successful overwintering.
Mike in LA
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