The main thing I keep learning about beekeeping is that I don't know what I'm doing.
I have two hives. Hive #1 I've had for a few seasons. Hive #2 I just got a couple of weeks ago from a beek who moved away.
Hive #1 is very weak. Not a lot of bees. Very calm. Top deep has 10 frames with honey/nectar, but none capped. Bottom deep has a couple speckled capped brood. Can't see any eggs or larva. A month ago there was larva and some capped brood, but not much.
Hive #2 is very strong. Many, many bees. More aggressive. Top deep 9-10 frames of capped honey. Bottom deep has larva and capped brood.
Now hive #2 keeps robbing the crap out of hive #1. I close up hive #1 for a day then open it. Everything is fine for a couple of days and they start robbing again.
I'm not sure what to do. I don't know if the queen in hive #1 is gone or just not laying. Either way I'm concerned this hive will not make it through winter. I don't think there is much of a flow in Camden County, NJ in the fall. Especially after a very, very dry summer.
Do I feed #1, but then robbing will be worse, correct? Do I combine? Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.