Bill Truesdell said:

> Homosoate is the material many of us use in Maine

Yeah, Maine is far colder than Virginia (or Edinburgh Scotland,
which has roughly the same "never much below freezing" winters
as Virginia).

But I still have a few questions...

> It absorbs moisture from the hive but also dries

So it "wicks" moisture from the bottom and inner surface(s) to the
upper and outer?  And it never reverses the process, and never
acts as a humidity "trap"?

> so does not get completely saturated but usually has a wet area
> over the innercover hole.  That area acts as a source of water in
> the winter and bees will chew on it to get water.

How does one assure that this wet area does not drip down on the
bees?  If it did, how would one notice?

        jim