Dane, I cannot believe what is going on over at your place and the honey harvest. Every time I read something from your thread, it intrigues me and find it so interesting. I would not put the bees down for the winter yet, let them do their thing. I am thinking that you should get the amount of honey that you know they will need for the wintertime ready, maybe separately, and let them collect all they have. The only drawback to doing this may be that the fall honey may crystalize and I think that it makes it difficult for the bees to consume it. Why don't you ask Michael Bush directly about this matter? He could surely advise you.
Now Dane, something that I think that you should do soon is perform a mite count. It sounds like your bees are really healthy, but from my point of view I think that it imperative that you check out the mite numbers, if any. If there are high mite counts, you need to figure out your plan for mite control, soon. I don't know when your bees cluster down there, but if you decide to use anything like formic acid (which is my preferred method) for the fall mite kill, you must have the pads in the hive for not less than 21 days before the bees cluster for winter for it to be really effective. Bees cluster around 50 degrees, or so (I think). Anyways, some food for thought now Dane, but honestly, it is early August, and there is still lots of flow going on at your place, that is plain to see.
Here, I will be applying formic acid the first week of September, I know here I still have a good flow going on in September. I will be feeding them s.s. come this time of formic acid application. I will not take any more honey off the bees after this treatment, the rest will be for the bees. Have a wonderful day, beautiful life. Cindi
My husband got me a new laptop with Vista, and I am kind of fumbling around, don't know how it will fare with me, but I am checking it out. C.