Hi Jim and Everyone,

Jim wrote in part:

"Lloyd, with the 1 inch upper entrance (that would be covered by the top
cover) how do the bees keep warm. With temps below minus 20 F, and heat
rising, wouldn't the temperature inside the hive get cold enough to freeze
bees on the outside of the cluster and also limit their ability to move
stores around."

The bees don't usually heat the hive outside of the cluster.  Dr Haydak(sp) wintered colonies here in St Paul with screen tops and bottoms and they did fine as long as they had enough honey.  Note they were under a roof ( picnic shelter ) so the snow did not fall directly into the colonies.  He did it just to show that is could be done and that the bees did not heat the hive outside of the cluster.

FWIW

blane






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Blane White
MN Dept of Agriculture
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