In a message dated 7/8/99 10:06:23 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> I paint my hives dark to get more heat here in Maine, even in the
>  summer when we can have 90 degree days.
>  If you look at the hive from a heating/cooling point of view, you
>  have two competing dynamics

Perhaps someone with a better understanding of Physics than I have can help
me out on this: I am wondering what effect "blackbody radiation" theory would
have on this technique.

The idea being that although a dark hive will absorb more solar radiation
than a light hive when the sun is shining on it, it will also re-radiate to
the atmosphere MORE HEAT when the sun is not shining on it. Thus cooling the
dark hive more than a light hive. Maybe it depends on the amount of
insolation hours vs. cloudy/night hours. Any comments?

Cesar Flores
Colorado USA