Our VA winter has been very warm until two weeks ago. This is the
second year of this. I did two things differently this year, so the result
might be due to a combination of bee characteristics and hardware.
        1} I now use a slatted rack on the bottom board below the first
brood box and a modified imrie shim above the inner cover. The modification
is 8 half inch holes drilled in the sides with screen wire glued on the
inside of the holes.
        2] I shifted to NWC carniolan bees last spring from the hybrid
Italians. The result was the Carniolans used about 1/3 of the stores the
remaining Italian hive did  [all in 1 9in and 1 6in boxes]. And none of the
boxes were damp.
 
        I suggest you take a look at carniolan bees for cold weather states.
 
Cordially,
John F. Mesinger