Finksy, I love that you take the time to offer so much help. That is amazing what you have done to save the bees.
Things are so different as far as weather is concerned where I live. an example is, right now, it is +6C, it is 5:30 A.M. It is not so cold as Finland. I think you are in a very very cold place. We are very temperate climate. It is raining, that keeps it much warmer. We had a very cold spell for a couple of weeks and it did not go below -3 C.
I do not think that I need the electric cables, because I think it may make the bees too warm. If they become too warm, then the concern is that they will think it is summer and maybe all come out and die? I don't know what temperature outside will kill the bees? Answer? These are things I do not know.
The picture is one taken on 24 April of this year. The colony bearding and the two right beside are the three that overwintered last winter. The one on left was the very strongest. I think that these 3 colonies may have had the varroa mite worse than I thought and passed it to the 4 packages that I installed in April last spring, just before this picture was taken.
I do not have styrofoam, but still wonder if I put in a wooden divider (which I have) and straw? I have straw, lots of it, we use it for bedding for rabbits and chickenhouses. Will that work as well as styrofoam?
By April we have strong, strong build-up, I will show picture of hive.
Your input is appreciated. Great day, Finsky. Cindi