> " ... on warm days, the condensation ice melts and runs to
 > the floor.">
 > In a well ventilated hive you do not see the accumulation of ice
 > seen here:
 > http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/images/2009/DSCF5482_small.JPG

I wondered about that, too and it does not look great, but it works.

Actually, that hive is quite well ventilated, with several auger
holes and a 1" entrance open wide.  It is just bloody cold around
here.  Minus thirty C right now and it gets to minus forty -- C
or F it is the same.

I was interested to see what Ari wrote, as it confirmed my
experience and observation that ice is not the biggest worry
if it is not building on the lid. I do like top entrances though
for flight as much as anything, especially in tall hives where it
is a long ways down to the bottom board.

I came to he conclusion long ago that many beekeepers provide far
too much ventilation due to anthropomorphic thinking, but that bees
choose cavities with small holes and little ventilation and seem
to do well in them.

Having tried many different things and inspected beekeepers with even
more ideas, I find what I am doing works about as well as anything
I've tried and have a good long-term success.

I know that lots of people prefer theory to what experience proves
to work, but in my dry climate that bit of ice is beneficial as the
bees use it.

“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are
not.”

I've given up on theory and go with what works -- for me.

YMMV.

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