Its so obvious to anyone with substantial experience thats its so much more to do with the bees than the box they're in that arguing over a little hot spot in a hand hold shows deep ignorance of whats relevant imho
The most important thing in wintering is the bee strain, that is is adapted to local climate and vegetation. No Hawaij or New Zealand colony survive in Finnish nature, but they do well in Britain.
I can say, that every first year beekeeper in Finland can safety over winter hives bees in poly hives, even in half thinner than recent hives.
And well said. Hand hold has not a slightest meaning in wintering.
I use Nacka hives side by side with Finnish hives. Nacka has 2 cm thick wall and Finnish 4 cm. No practical meaning between those hives. Nacka material has been very stiff.
First important is the bee strain. Second important is size of wintering cluster.
The bigger the cluster in spring, the faster the build up that colony start to fill supers early in summer.
Hand hold are very nice when I lift full boxes. I have too self made boxes which do not have hand holds-.
Average winter food is 20 kg sugar per hive, which cost is about £ 8.
Between September and April the colony have consumed 10 kg sugar, and the rest of 10kg is consumed during April and May when the colony lifts temperature to 36C and needs food to produce brood.
The value of winter food is about value of 3 kg honey ( stock price £ 4/kg.)
As you see Derekm, a biologist has much more to say about beekeeping than physic laws.
