<moisture> 20dec95 0951 HIVE MOISTURE BIS Verstehen sie mir for repeating this message originally sent on 15dec. Believe it went out corrupted. Here in Howard County, 10 miles W of Balto, Maryland, we combat hive moisture by placing a twig on the front rim of the inner cover, that is, between the outer cover and inner cover, about 1 oct (first frost is around 15 oct), and remove it around 1 apr, when all danger of severe frost is passed. The hive itself has two deep broodchambers, hopefully w/ six frames of feed in each (or about 60#), going into the winter. The bottom board is shallow side up altho the some larger beekeepers in HC run the deep side up and resort to mouse excluders during the fall--I have never done that in 35 consecutive years of apiculture: extra expense and extra work. Suum cuique? Jack the B-man MX&HNY