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Having feed and nearly finalised colony winter preparations, I find that
I have some colonies that have not taken up sufficient feed to "ensure"
winter survival.

Hey Peter

My advice is more of the blunter type.  Take your losses now, or take
your losses next spring.  If a colony doesnt take up enough feed, while
given enough oportunity to, it usually mean not enough bees, meaning
queen failure later on in the season.  (Disease being ruled out)  If you
are wintering outside, I would of shook them out a while ago.  Give it a
shot wintering them indoors, you never know, maybe they will pull
through.  At this point of the game, dont try to merge colonies, for you
will kill them anyway.  Winter is too close for sutch colony
manipulation.
It has been a funny season this year.  I had lots of swarming and
found about 5% of the hives in my yards did not requeen properly.  I
blame poor weather conditions which prevented properly mated
queens.  I shook them all out.
Getting sick and tierd of this weather, going to have to wait for freeze
up before I can get into my yards to wrap.  That or a good week of
sun...
Ian

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