Overwintering a double brood colony

[Woodland bees]

How do people normally overwinter a double brood colony? Do you leave them as a double brood or remove one of the boxes?

The last couple of winters here have been very different. The winter before last was very cold with a late spring, the bees overwintered ok on a single national brood box but didn't build up that quickly. Last winter I left a super on each hive but the winter and spring was very warm and many of my colonies ate their way through everything and needed some feeding.

So, I'd like to leave a decent amount of stores for them this winter, just in case. We have a large ivy flow so currently I intend to leave both brood boxes on but not feed any syrup. Does that sound ok? I'll get some fondant in just in case.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve overwintered double poly and left both boxes on
I make sure they have enough stores before I make the decision to not feed

 

[drex]

Your plan is what I usually do. However if a colony is small pre winter, and I do not combine, it will Be reduced to a single BB. I do feed syrup if they don't get enough ivy.

 

[Swarm]

Use insulated partition frames and dummy them to the size they require.

 

[enrico]

Two. Food boxes won't do any harm. Remember they eat from the bottom up so the chances are, if they eat their way through the first box, which is unlikely if it is full, you could remove the bottom box in the spring to replace any frames etc before adding it back

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Colonies that have been on double brood during the supper usually stay on double brood during the winter. Colonies are fed as necessary with syrup so they don't need fondant in spring. (You shoudl not need fondant with a double brood colony). If there are excess frames of stores in spring then the odd frame can be removed at that time and used later - or left on the hive. With double brood, if you put any manky frames to the sides of the lower box, the chances are that they will be empty by spring and can be removed as the bees will move upwards as they consume stores and they tend to brood in the middle, so the old frames are left behind.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I leave mine on double brood for the Winter. As the bees move up towards the top, the lower box acts as a baffle for the cold draughts.