Hello Peter & All,
You got problems similar to this year in the Midwest. Old bees will not 
winter. You can only evaluate your bees for winter by brood cycles.

The fact you have got plenty of pollen helps. I have never seen such a 
shortage of pollen as this year in the Midwest. We have been feeding pollen 
for awhile and we are weeks behind you in winter arrival.

I can give you two solutions.

Pull honey bound brood nests and replace with drawn comb and feed a gallon 
of light syrup (they will just store heavy syrup) to try and get a brood 
cycle (or two)  in before winter.

In cold climates you need 2-4 brood cycles to winter. If your bees are on 3 
frames of brood right now you have got one. If 6 frames then 2 cycles. A 
cycle is 21 days. Count the amount of frames being used for eggs,larva and 
sealed brood as a cycle.

Counting old bees will not work as they will not make it through the 
winter. Commercial beekeepers counting old bees to winter in cold areas are 
the guys which lose fifty percent each year. Many commercial beekeepers 
move their hives after the honey flow in the middle of the day to lose the 
old bees (which are doomed anyway). Should have been done (if the method 
used) 4 - 6 weeks ago by you in your area).

Then adjust brood for winter. Take your winter loses in the fall.

Maybe sounds harsh but your bees will winter better. You will spend less on 
feed.

Why do you think all but queenless hives toss drones. Survival!

 A bit drastic but practiced by large commercial beekeepers. Maybe not 
possible for you but would be for me in your situation. When bees are not 
prepared properly for winter by commercial beekeepers due to not having the 
time ( northern part of the U.S.)the bees are simply loaded on semi's and 
headed to a warmer climate to finnish the work. For us maybe only 2oo-400 
miles if a month is all thats needed. If a winter is needed to rebuild we 
go south of I 20 in Texas.

I saw a similar problem as Peter but without pollen so pulled all supers 
and begain getting the bees ready to winterweeks ago. Now I will finnish 
extracting as all but last feeding is complete.

While extracting for the next week or two I will be happy knowing my bees 
have been combined, fed both syrup and pollen patties and ready for winter. 
Every time I did the extracting and left the bees till last I paid a price 
in winter loses.

Hope the above helps Peter! 

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri

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