So I have come by at least temporary ownership of 9 beehives. The hives were in the middle of a solar park development and the person whose hives they are is un contactable, it doesn't look like they have been there for months if at all this year, of the 25 hives, 14 had bees in and one super left to the side had been moved in to by a swarm.
I have moved what I can before the bulldozers get in there. My question is that most of the hives are based on one brood super with two honey supers on top with the queen excluder in place above the brood. They have had no fondant or equivalent, and although all the honey supers are full I'm concerned that the queen may not get any/enough food through the winter. I'm aware that it could be a bad idea to open the hive to remove the excluders. Do you think they'll be ok?