Back in the 1970's I ran five hives just north of Indianapolis, Indiana on the west side of a barn on a concrete pad.  To the west of the pad was a corn field which was typically bush hogged so there was no mitigating the west winds from blowing across the surface of the field.  At that time I was running solid bottom boards with reduced entrances.  What I did do was place 3/4 inch blocks of wood  above and at the corners of the inner cover so there was good airflow through the hive.  In the time I was there, about three winters, I never lost a colony and they seemed to come through the winters in good shape.  I'm thinking that removal of moisture in the hive was key to successful overwintering.

Mike in LA

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