I try to make sure the girls have enough stores to make it through winter. That means honey in both brood boxes plus an extra box on top. Since bees fly here all winter long (lots of 50 degree days; some 60 degree days), they can really go through stores and starvation is a big problem, so starting January, I start hefting my hives. If they get light, the hivetop feeders go on and I feed 2:1 cane sugar.