Some basic questions

[FordGuy]

How many frames of capped honey does a colony need to make it through a South Carolina winter?  How many frames of bees and larva do they need? What is an indicator that two weak hives should be combined?  When can a large hive be split?   Thanks.

[Phoenix]

Generally 60 lbs. of honey would get your hives through the winter, depending on how far south you are, you may be able to get away with less.  I for one, would rather leave them with more than enough to get through the winter, if they have left over stores come spring, I can harvest it then.

As to the amount of bees you will need, there is no set number.  Some have made it through Michigan winters with 5 frame Nucs.  Again, greater numbers will increase your chances of them making it through.

If you have a boomer of a hive, you can split it late in the summer, and hope you have a good enough flow and a successful mating of the queenless half.  If it looks weak after the brood rearing has shut down, re-combine.

[leominsterbeeman]

If you have more  bees in a hive going into winter,  then you will need more food stores.    

The large population will consume most of the stored food before the harsh time of the winter sets in.     Every location is different.  But I would do a check of the honey stores in late Nov, early December and provide them with sugar syrup  as a back-up.