James Fischer wrote:
> d)  FACT - But there ARE some basic facts.  One of them is that successful
>      practices can be defined in universal terms. Some might dismiss this
>      as massive over-generalization, but they remain universal.   As Alan said:
>
>         "Studies have shown that steady temperatures around
>         the freezing mark with controlled humidity and good air
>         circulation are the best for successful and economical
>         wintering of bees."
>
>      So, if winters are mild where you keep bees, you don't need to worry
>      much about the temperature, which is the crux of the "ventilate versus
>      insulate" discussion at hand.  If winter is much colder than described
>      above one is forced to lean towards "insulate" over "ventilate".
>

Jim,

Opinion: I think you leapt from fact to opinion. The Hive and the Honey
Bee (I apologize for bringing in a book as a reference) states that
during winter "the beekeeper's main concern is keeping the bees dry, not
warm". For temperatures 20F and below the only additional insulation is
a "commercial wintering carton or tar paper wrap with a moisture
releaser over the inner cover." There is no difference in ventilation
requirements between that and bees in winters between 25-45F except
supplemental insulation is not required as are less stores. So
"ventilate" seems to be a constant while "insulate" is a variable. The
H&THB also states that trials using additional insulation in colder
climates caused poorer over wintering. So more insulation is not
necessarily better.

Opinion (not directed toward Jim): I do not ascribe to be an expert, but
do find the opinions/facts in the H&THB to have helped me greatly in
understanding beekeeping. And if the use of book knowledge on this list
is suspect, then I would appreciate a list of those who post on this
list who are experts so I will know what practices are correct and I can
throw out my books. (I would put in a smiley face but...) :(

Opinion (also not directed toward Jim): I lurked on this list for quite
some time before I ever posted anything. I appreciated the give and take
of the discussions. I loved the recent 4.9 give and take. There were a
lot of opinions generated along with fact and bad information, but that
is the norm in any discussion between civil people. There are good
beekeeping practices as well as poor practices and I looked forward to
getting corrected if I strayed into the latter. I learned and I passed
on what I learned to all the Maine State Beekeepers through our
newsletter (which was read by our State bee inspector who kept me
honest). I really do not care if incorrect information is posted. I know
that most will step in and say something, even though they may not be in
the expert class, whatever that may be. I value that on this list. But
if there are knowledgeable experts who remain aloof from the fray, then
you are doing a disservice to this list, to beekeepers on the list and
to yourselves.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME