we all know that combs act as insulators - either with cells full of honey or trapped air. the bees just overwinter in a cluster deep in the structure.
But as well all know cold is not the problem - damp is.
in an open structure as shown moisture will run down outside leaving bees dry.
that terrible old song... i do not know those facts.
- Combs do not insulate because the seam is open and heat escapes.
- The insulated walls hinder heat losses. the less wall surface the less heat escapes.
- honey bee needs a tree cavity to live. They do not live in stone caves because stone does not keep heat in the hive.
- cold is a problem in many ways and damp is too. They are not alternatives.
- during cold winters you loose more hives than in mild winter.
- in open structure? i have 1 cm x 10 cm lover entrance and finger size upper entrance in front wall. in the back corners of bottom I have inch size holes that draft keeps back part of bottom dry. Everything else is closed.
I advice you my Brittish friends. You should put wollen shirts on the hives. It keeps humans warm too.
In Finland if we want to dry up something in moist weather, we heat a little that relative moisture comes down. it is relative moisture which keep dry. A warm hive is dry hive. It needs ventilating too that war moist air goes out.
After the first energy crisis we insulated houses too much and ventilated too little. People become sick and houses got mould.
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