Double brood now - overwintering?

[Juststarting]

I'm just refreshing my plans for overwintering this year and want to just check my understanding of the posts from last year - esp finman's advice as my winters are often harsh.

My understanding is that it is best to reduce space that bees need to heat to a minimum and ensure they have sufficient stores to last the winter by rapidly feeding 2:1 syrup after the "winter bees" have emerged (mid/late autumn), without leaving it too late so the weather changes and it is too cold for them to store the syrup.

(apiguard treatment planned 3 wk August)

Last year my colony had about 9 frames of brood start of September and was then feed and overwintered sucessfully in single nat brood box (poly).

This year I have a couple of hives on double brood currently on 16 frame of brood and not yet showing signs of slowing (still have a flow on here if weather continues to stay warm).

From the post last year I was thinking of consolidating brood as far as possible (start sept) to lower BB and then feeding on the basis that they will fill upper BB and with stores and then can move up to this for winter. The lower bb then acting as a "skirt" reducing drafts. I plan to keep omf open to aid ventilation and reduce condensation - no top ventilation.

Does this make sense or should I try to consolidate into single BB again?

Just concerned that stronger colony will produce larger cluster requiring more stores than last year as there was little surplus spring this year.

Thanks forall advice

 

[enrico]

I wouldn't worry too much. I keep double brood and just feed well before winter (3rd week of august too late for two lots of apiguard AND feeding as they may not be able to get enough water off food to store it, suggest asap with varoa treatment) The bees will put food where they can as queen goes off lay. Chances are Apiguard will make her go off lay anyway and they will fill space with food. You can be too fussy, they are really quite clever at trying to stay alive!
E