The population in both hives is starting to slow down in preparation for winter. This is normal and to be expected, but one hive is a bit lower in population than I would like. Because of this, I decided to “boost” this smaller- or weaker- hive. This means that I went into my stronger, much larger hive and took a couple frames of brood (eggs and larvae) and swapped it with some empty frames from the weaker hive. This will help to boost the population of the weaker hive, helping to ensure its survival this winter.
Another thing to consider before winter is a major pest to honey bees called mites. Typically, you will treat your hives twice annually for mites. I opted not to treat the smaller hive, as they had no signs of mites and they were struggling to get ahead already. The larger hive will get two treatments back to back, helping to keep the health of the hive up as much as possible.
I will assess the hives again in October and see what else may need to be done before the true cold of winter hits.