Many questions

[sandshigginson]

Very new beekeeper here - 9 months… Why has hive top box become soaking wet? Fondant has been in here since early January plus two layers of carpet. Two other hives have same arrangement but are not soaking wet. This is the smallest colony.

 

[ericbeaumont]

the smallest colony

Assuming that the roof is not leaking, perhaps the heat produced by the small nest (how many frames?) is insufficent to keep condensation at bay. To get to the root of the issue, would you give more detail? Wood, poly, double brood, eke, crownboard holes and so on; a photo is best.

A quick fix would be to decant the six best frames & all the bees into a poly nuc, on the basis that a small overwintering colony will thermoregulate better when squeezed into a bungalow rather than left echoing in a cathederal.