One of the most serious faults of bee cellars is in providing for too
much ventilation, resulting in great fluctuations in temperature. In a
cellar which maintains a temperature of 50° F. or more there is little
need for ventilation, for the Was then need little oxygen and only a
small amount of carbon dioxide is given off. Other things being equal,
the colder the cellar, the greater the need of ventilation. If poor
stores are in the hives, the bees will need more ventilation than will
be desirable when good stores are used. In a warm cellar in a sandy
hillside no ventilating shaft need be built.
In any event, one shaft 6 inches square running through the ceiling of
the cellar to the outside will be sufficient for any cellar that is fit
for the wintering of bees. During the coldest part of the winter the
interchange of air between the inside of the cellar and the outside
will be materially increased by the great difference in temperature and
this one ventilator may be entirely or nearly closed. During the milder
weather of the fall and spring this amount of ventilation will do no
harm. The top of the ventilating shaft, which should extend at least
6 feet above the outer roof, may be painted black in order to induce
greater movement of air when the sun shines. The shaft should be so
arranged that it does not admit light to the cellar.