>In one of his recent beekeeping books, Ron Brown (of Devon) recommends
>overwintering in one brood box plus a full honey super, with *excluder*
>between. This way no brood ever ends up in the food super, maintaining
>clean combs, and the bees have a good portion of honey situated directly
>above them where it is most useful.
>
>Now, it is more commonly stated that excluders should *not* be left in
>position during winter, as the queen could become isolated below, and then
>the colony would lose her as the cluster moved upward.
 
We leave our excluders permanently in place.  The mild climate of Kangaroo
Island ensures that there are only a few days over winter when the bees will
not be able to fly for at least 30 minutes each day.  Daily maximum
temperatures during winter go from 12 degrees Celsius to 15 degrees Celsius.
Winter maintenance is carried out in August (last month of winter) when the
brood box is checked for brood and stores and foundation or good brood
frames exchanged for full honey frames in brood box.  We find bees remain in
brood box the entire winter.
 
Betty McAdam
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm