> It all started with the suggestion that some winter loss could be > explained by suffocation -- I would suggest that nobody has actually > claimed to have had such a loss, if they had it would be worth > discussing why and how to avoid it. > We use fairly well sealed hives here to overwinter (mid-Norway) > with a ventilation opening at the bottom. Glad to hear from Norway! Actually, I've never heard of suffocation - except in unusual circumstances, hence my arguements against it. Maybe I should have just said so straight out. Thanks for your comments. I'm very interested in the methods you use. I hope this barrage of questions isn't too presumptuous, but I'm sure many on the the list would love to hear the response. I know I sure would. * Do you use any insulation? * Do winter the hives singly or in groups? * What type of hives do you use? * What is miminum acceptable hive weight going into winter? * What are you minimum and average winter temperatures? * How long at the lowest temperature? When? * When is your first frost? Last flow? * When is your first pollen? Snow melt? * Typical survival maeasured at May 10th To answer these myself: * Yes, R5 to R10 on all sides and R15 to R25 on top * We place them in tightly into fours - 2 facing east and 2 west * 2 Langstroth brood chambers with an 1 inch auger hole under the handhole in each box * 50 Kilograms including floor and lid and bees * -40 degrees Celcius and about minus 10 celcius * For about a week or so, anytime from January through February * First frost varies from August 20 to October 20. Last flow September * First reliable pollen is April 15. Snow melts late March storms and snowfall occasionally until May * Typical survival 850 per 1000 (useable hives) Of course, if anyone else would like to jump in here and give the answers to these questions and/or add questions to the list, I for one would be delighted. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:[log in to unmask] Honey. Bees, Art, & Futures <http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka>