--- On Thu, 12/31/09, allen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>> The one thing I did which probably was not common at the time was to run the hives with 1" spacer blocks between the inner and outer covers. 
>I am having trouble visualizing this. Could you describe this in a bit more detail?  How many blocks, how big, placed exactly where?

I said 1" blocks.  Actual measurements were 3/4" (standard thickness of our 1" boards) X 3/4" X about 2".  One of these (four altogether) were placed at each of the four corners inside the outer rim of the inner cover.  This provided about 1/2" of space all around the edge between the top of the rim of the inner cover and the underside of the outer cover.  The drop down rim of the outer cover overlapped the inner cover, but not by much.  I imagine the prevailing westerly winds could easily blow through between the inner cover and the outer cover.   Also, I failed to mention that the entrances did face west, the direction of the open field and the prevailing winds.  

Anecdotally,  I firmly believe that the free flow of air through the colony kept any destructive moisture from building up and causing problems to the overwintering colonies.  I was just starting beekeeping back then and was not as observant as I am today.  In the spring, the colonies seemed to build up strong and brought in a good strong surplus of honey.

I am not advocating this for anyone in that region.  This is just a practice that seemed to work for me.  BTW,  we didn't have small hive beetles, varoa, or the exotic pesticides to contend with then that we do have today.  We just had AFB, nosema (I never noticed the presence of this in my hives), and sack brood (none of this either).  If viruses were present, I was aware of none nor were viruses talked up in the bee club meetings I attended back then.   Those really were the good old days.

Mike in LA



      

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