I am working on a project to examine the effects of different winter hive
configurations used in areas with cold winters, approximated by hardiness
zone 6 or colder in North America.  The aspects I am focussing on are
ventilation management and insulation.

If you winter bees in such a location, please complete my short survey, the
link to which is below.  It takes only 4-5 minutes. No personal information
is required, responses are anonymous, and location need only be
approximated.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LFBKWYG

Entrance types and insulation plus their effects on moisture in the hive in
winter have been discussed by beekeepers for many years.  As with many
other topics in beekeeping this is a subject area where there is no
shortage of dogmatic statements about how to approach the matter.  But we
also know all beekeeping is local. Official guidance can be found for some
jurisdictions, but cannot be applied to areas with radically different
climatic environments.  In my province there is no specific guidance
available on winterising, there is only some generic, regionalised wording
that cannot be relied upon.   I am hoping to contribute to some improved
guidance in future.

Some questions being explored include the following:
-Venting moisture from the hive cannot occur without also venting heat.  At
what point, or in what situations, does conservation of heat become the
dominant priority? Does it ever?
-Some beekeepers report success using bottom-only ventilation. What are the
essential parameters?
-How much water is actually released by the cluster over winter? There are
several theoretical estimates (e.g. Linton 2015, 2018; Oliver, 2016) but
rather few reported measurements of actual quantities of stores consumed
over winter.  Hive scale data get most attention in summer.
-It is reported that the interior surfaces of natural honey bee nest
cavities are usually fully propolised, preventing absorption of moisture.
Is this correct?

The information will be used in a report submitted as part of the
requirements of the Master Beekeeper certification program of the
University of Montana, which I am currently taking.

Thanks for your participation.

Rob Hughes
Central New Brunswick

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