>but they needed a big population and they needed lots of honey

I too have tried wrap and no wrap and find no advantage in my fairly wind protected winter yards even with a few weeks of near 0 F temps. My observation is that the key is a large, healthy (low mite) population and lots of capped honey. For me 12 frames. With those conditions a colony can start brood production and with my mostly carni mutts  keep the brood nest compact enough to both keep the brood & queen warm and send "foraging parties" out to the capped honey and bring in a rim of liquid honey around the nest for all to consume. Starvation for me is only a late April/May condition due to PPB. 

If the population starves a few inches from capped honey the population is to small. If all honey is consumed before spring  foraging can begin then too little honey was stored last fall. Both require proper late summer/fall management. If you are going to have to feed anyway do it in the fall and rest easy. No need for candy boards or top sugar. I will however, on my first inspections, usually early March, move a capped frame in close to the cluster if they seem to need it or rob the rich and give to the poor when needed.  

All beekeeping is local but this has worked well for me for over 40 years. 

Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA

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