This question is for brood boxes only. I am in northern Ohio and the winters always go below freezing and single digit + negative temperatures are common.
This year is our first year with hives, right now the brood boxes are 2 deeps.
I have been reading the merits of using mediums instead of deeps as brood boxes and wonder if it would be possible for me to use them in my location.
If it is, and since this first year is more of a building up year instead of a honey year, would I just just separate the deeps, divide up the frames between the 2 deeps equally, place a 10 frame medium on top of each and requeen the new split, then feed, feed, feed?
If I lived somewhere where it got really cold I would try one of the poly. (styrofoam) hives. I have two here and have been playing around with them.. Seem to work really well for me. I added vents to the top of mine because it gets so hot here (when I would open the lid, heat would really pour out) I'm sure the R value of the foam is way higher then wood. Also noticed way WAy (100%) fewer wax moth problems.. and many fewer SHB ( but this could just be a really tough hive).
I got the poly hives cuz it rains so much here I was sick of the wood rotting (even when painted) on my previous hives.
My two cents.
--Jeff
>wonder if it would be possible for me to use them in my location.
Location is irrelevant. They work great anywhere.
Absolutely anywhere and the problems smaller--all the same size equipments solves simplifies every operation.