>As a possible point of interest, Ed Clark, in his 1918 Constructive Beekeeping (https://archive.org/details/cu31924003100306) suggested that condensation in a hive was actually a desirable trait, and designed a hive to encourage it. He felt that that the propolised inner surfaces of the hives were done intentionally by bees as a way of ensuring that water was condensed as an important source of water (rather than being soaked up by the wood fibers). Maybe anecdotal, but an interesting possibility.

I've also found Clark's work interesting. His writing made me aware of the possibility that a colony can run as a condenser or a ventilator which I perceive is the basic subject being discussed in these threads. As a condenser, a colony is recycling moisture for metabolic use while at the same time drawing latent heat from condensation.  When running a colony as a ventilator, moister is removed basically to keep the bees dry, which is a good thing especially if one adds a cold air stream above the warm plume of moist air coming off the cluster. I think the key is to find a balance between allowing for some condensation and, depending on your climate, providing some ventilation to prevent excessive moister or mold.  The problem is when you reach for someone else's formula that doesn't apply to your area. 

Bill Hesbach
Northeast USA

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