Preparing for Winter Shutdown

[Turraman]

This is only my second season of beekeeping, and I don't want to repeat the mistakes I made last Winter.
I know Winter seems a long way off, but I want to  make sure I leave plenty of stores for the bees.
I am on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. My hives are all 10 Frame and bees are Italians.
 I am hoping to go down to a single box for the Winter and hope to avoid feeding syrup if possible.
I would appreciate any advice from others doing similarly as to how much stores to leave and when to shutdown.

[Sydney guy]

I don't tend to take honey off the bees at this time of year. I leave them with a full Depth super which at the time of winter shut down would only be half full of honey maybe not even half.

In Sydney we would have a more mild winter then you would down south. I can usually get a good harvest from these frames towards end of August.

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[Bamboo]

Things can get chilly down your way. The thing is even if you get decent flying days there won't be much nectar around only a bit of pollen from Wattles etc. If I was you I would be leaving a full super and running a double thru winter. The only way I would contemplate a single is if you keep frames aside  and actively manage/feed them those frames as they require them. I wouldn't recommend tho. If you run the double you will have a stronger hive come next season.

[baba_meza]

I was wondering the same, when is it the right time to reduce the size of the hive?
The girls are still busy. The super is only 40% full, 10% capped. Not ready for harvesting.
3 other boxes under the queen excluder.

I live in Melbourne and I have the hive for less than a year.

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[Biggles]

Hi baba

Keep a watch on the BOM website.  When forecast maximum temps are consistently below about 18 degrees, think about reducing then.  March - early April are typically still warm.  Tomorrows temp I see is 30.  Still good forage weather.

Mark

[baba_meza]

Thanks mate