Many tought come to my mind in thermodynamic terms. Any one have modeled a
behive behaviour in terms of wind, temperature, brood and consuption of
stores over time?

Of course the key elements are

insulation R: tar paper is not an insulation material. 70% or more of the
heat flows from the Top.
exposition to sun: tar does concentrated heat cause of its color, but under
low temperature tar paper does not demand energy, under lows tar does not
exists. you only have the insulation of the box or a proper insulation
material.
wind: when we think of wind we need to think of course on cracks, probably
for old equipment with migratory top and top feeder tar papering is the
easiest way. but also we need to consider the efect of moisture, of water,
as an excellent way of transfering heat. When wind blows it mechanically
removes moisture with its heat content, under windy conditions we need to
think in wet bulb or dew point temperature rather in dry bulb one. That is
another effect of tar paper, cause of tar it doesnt absorve moisture, it is
always dry on the outside and wet "biologically" in the inside. The wind
does not have this drying-cooling effect.

I havent try any wrapping or packing and have my colonies of all colors
available, mostly light. The covers are dark.

I think I do not need wrapping or packing, as far as I can locate most of my
hives in groups of 50  to 200, with the south covered by a dense forest as a
wind break from the predominant wind. My top feeder can hold only 3 litres
as maximun, but the 4.5 cm steel air camera that holds is equivalent to much
more centimetres of styrofoam that I could fit there. A deeper feeder will
allow convection cells to form, increasing the heat transfer. Winter is not
that bad,  with a short 3 month demanding periods with cold and rain. The
maximun time without cleansing flight might be 15 - 20 days.

Probably with a wrapping I could use other (for now) marginal locations.

my 2c

-- 
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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