Preparing for Winter

Here's a tip for getting your hive through the winter, and making sure the bees are cozy all season.

Because the bees form a winter cluster during the winter, keeping the inside 95 degrees and the outer edges 45 degrees, condensation between the temperature differential can accumulate within the hive. By the time winter is in full force, the bees would have sealed any cracks in the beehive with propalis -- keeping out wind. But, if moisture builds up, it can really decrease the warm temperature of your winter cluster.

So, one way to combat this is to attach a piece of floor padding, covered by a sheet of corrugated plastic, to the inside of the top cover. The floor padding acts as insulation and absorbs moisture. This article shows the process in more detail.