Hmm, jumping in here. I wonder why anyone would discourage the bees from consuming the very own stores that they have worked so hard to bring into their homes. We were taught in all our teachings, that the necctar that the bees gather, in turn adding all the wonderful things to make these nectars turning into that golden liquid, so known as honey, also providing it is cured properly to the low state of moisture that proper honey should be, is the best of the best for the bees to winter over on. Much superior to any kind of sugar syrup feeding that man can provide. Nature knows what it is doing. I would be very curious as to why you are hearing/reading these statements. My goal is always to allow the bees enough of their own stores (honey) to overwinter on, not sugar syrup. Not to say at all that I don't begin to feed my bees in September, in the event that there is not a fall flow, with sugar syrup. To allow the bees to backfill the broodnest, so there is ample supplies. Just my two cents here, I am sure that others will chime in. I once upon a time lived in southwestern British Columbia, now living in the souther interior, a dry climate, hot in summer, cold in winter, we have been lving here since the middle of June of this year. I will always endeavour to allow the bees to overwinter on lots of honey, what they know is best for their uses. Let the bees be bees. Providing it has been properly cured -- paramount. the use of sugar syrup is good, as a secondary measure -- I give additional feeding, just to ensure the chamber/s is/are full of food for them. All bees on earth can get dysentry, if there is too much moisture in their hive. Plain and simple. Imperative that the bees may have time to reduce nectar/sugar syrup to a low moisture content for their wintertime food. Perhaps that is why you have been hearing that the fall flows are not so good for the bees, perhaps they do not have the time to evaporate the fall nectars before the clustering time comes about, where they cannot evapourate, but remain in their cluster state, to keep warm and to move around to keep the cluster in contact with the necessary food that is not moisture-overridden. Beautiful days, love our life, stay safe -- warm, as Old Man Winter is surely luring around that corner. Health. Cindi