>>Directly above the cluster it was dry on top under the cover, but under the cover where the cluster was not located there was droplets of water. Probably from condensation... I use wooden nucs - I believe wood is just fine for overwintering although styrofoam nucs seem to facilitate a quicker spring build-up [which may or may not be desireable in certain climates - that I set up with flat masonite inner covers with a 1 in. diameter hole at the front end. I place a newspaper on top of the inner cover and a short 1/4" stick in between at the front to create a ventilation channel. This set-up keeps the frames and bees fairly dry in our humid climate. The key to good overwintering is to provide slow ventilation that will eliminate most of the humidity BUT not create drafts. I close up the ventilation holes sometime in March when brood rearing is under way. The nucs don't get wet when brood rearing is underway and the sun occasionally warming up the nuc walls allows bees to walk through out the hive. The bees collect the extra moisture to dilute stored honey to feed to the larvae. I read a study that found that providing water in the hive in the late winter/ early spring is better for building up than feeding thin syrup [provided there is no shortage of stored honey]. Waldemar Long Island, NY -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---