<<The three things I consider critical to wintering in my particular climate are adequate food stores,  a low mite count all summer and enough bees so they can keep themselves warm.  It only takes five frames of bees in Oct to be enough for them to keep warm based on observations of nucs I expected to die over winter that did not die the last couple of years.>>

Thank you... I think many "hobby" beekeepers and likely more experienced beekeepers aim for the minimum recommended honey store levels and suffer for it (Starvation). Pulling honey supers to late because of that fall flow is a killer and it leaves little time to get hive ready if on the light side. Many think, honey is only for food energy purposes. I believe it is critical to have as much as possible to ensure plenty of temperature buffering and most importantly it eliminates the need for candy boards (disturbing the hive) and spring feeding. My colonies tend to have 50-60 lbs extra left over in spring. I pull 2 to 3 of these heavy frames and store them for later and replace them with drawn brood comb. I rarely feed now coming out of winter (just early pollen patties to initiate/sustain brood rearing). 

I agree that screened bottom boards are best for insulated hives with no top entrance. 

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