I have been indoor wintering for about 15 years.
last 5 years 300 - 400 hives inside, mostly new colonies made in last
summer.
Dark cellar, -1 to +8 C. Mostly dry in winter, but humid when snow
starts to melt outside.
No brood when I take the hives out in April.
Colonies wintered outside have brood in 1-3 frames at this time.
Breeds, Italian, carnica, buckfast no difference.
Some old beekeepers claimed that if humidity is high the bees will start
brood rearing in cellars, but I have never seen it, so not sure if this
is true.
Ari Seppälä
Finland
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html