--- On Thu, 12/31/09, allen dick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
It is also believed that this is a benefit that comes from wrapping,since drafts are controlled and any insulation slows the movement ofheat both in and out of the hive, allowing the cluster time to adjust.(Once the cluster breaks, though the importance of insulation anddraft control is increased, since at that point the bees are releasing  more heat into the hive volume and the geometry and insulation qualities determine whether the extent of that warming).

My personal experience to overwintering colonies in harsh winter climate occurred during years 1976 through 1979 about thirty miles north of Indianapolis, Indiana.  I was running about seven hives, five of which were located on the west side of a barn with harvested corn fields located to the west (i.e. no windbreak).  The hives were comprised of double brood chambers above solid bottom boards with inner and outer covers.  The bottom board was turned so that the shallow side (1/4") was topside and no entrance reducers were used.  The hives were set up on concrete blocks about eight inches above a concrete pad which extended about twelve feet out from the side of the barn.  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.  This allowed free movement of air from the entrance up through the hive and out from the space between inner and outer covers.  Three
 years is not a long time for observation, but in that time I didn't loose any colonies over the winter.  I believe that the free movement of air through the colony prevented moisture build up which would have been detrimental to the colonies.  There was no wrapping or insulation placed around the hives.  The cluster started out in the lower hive body and ended up in the upper hive body in the spring.  At that time I reversed hive bodies to encourage extended brood production.

Mike now in LA (Lower Alabama)



      

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