Bluebee,
I really like your idea. Hives I've played with adding supplemental heat did great. But, maybe you can help me figure out how to use your idea in my out apiaries for overwintering nucs. Moisture seems to be my biggest problem here in north/central NY. Despite the cold winter temps, the relative humidity is often 90+%. Up to this point, my best defense against the moisture has been leaving the SBB open year round, top entrances, 1/2 hole in each box, and quit feeding syrup by Oct. 1st. Even with that, I have dead-outs in the spring just dripping wet. (As a side note, I left some boxes with extra frames of honey in the out-apiaries for spring feed, and they were soaking wet in the spring too!) Any suggestions on how I could use your design and avoid the moisture build-up issue? Do you think a form of quilt boxes adapted to your design are in my future?
Thanks, Steve