Several others have elequently suggested that without a geographic location
it is difficult to offer advice.  You might also be wary of advice provided
by bee keepers in areas that differ from your.
 
Eric
 
 
 
 
 
At 12:02 AM 26/12/96 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 96-11-04 11:58:36 EST, you write:
>
><< iscussion of Bee Biology)
> To:    [log in to unmask] (Multiple recipients of list BEE-L)
>
><<Dear Bee-listers...
> Well, its that time of year.  And since all my bees died last winter I
> thought I might ask the lists what the best way to insulate their hives
> for the winter, since this may have been my problem.
> What I was planning to do was place an empty super over (or under?) the
> inner cover and fill it with something....maybe straw?....Well.that is
> what I would like to know.  I know they need ventilation during the
> winter to get rid of moisture, and I just popped an outer cover and there
> is already drops of water on the inner cover..>>.
>
>  A friend showed me how to make an outer box of polyethylene foam blcok scuh
>as used in poured concrete foundations. They are coursely dove-tailed so that
>they snap in place .A band of  tape around the ouside is a good secuirty
>against high winds. I have made pitched roof covers with vents that allow for
>constant
>ventilation. Can not saymore than that they worked on some hives for two
>years, and in others I had the usual losses popularly attributed to varroa
>and trachael
>mites.   The hives are insulated but not airtight. Will send sketch on
>request
>
>ed but not air tight which would cause condensation.
>
>
Eric Abell
Gibbons, Alberta Canada
(403) 998 3143
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