If your hive is struggling and you do not already have two boxes on your hive, and you live in a colder climate, you may want to shift gears and go into hive preservation mode.
What I mean by this is, instead of focusing on getting honey from your hive this season, focus on getting the hive built up in strength.
This can be accomplished by doing a couple of things:
- Improve your hives water source - make sure your hive has water that is accessible by a 5 gallon bucket you fill with water, a birdbath, water feature, fountain or a nearby stream or pond.
- Continue feeding. The general rule of thumb is to not feed after June. If your hive is struggling you will want to continue to feed until the hive is once again thriving.