Honeybound in Autumn?

[Metsker]

Ok, first year keeper here. My mite count was high ealier this month so I did a formic pro treatment during which there was very little activity and I was concerned of a mass die off. Then when I removed the strips, it was bee city! I read to not bother them for a few weeks, let new bees emerge then mite check again, so I haven’t done another count yet. I did, however, heed advice to start feeding. Well, I went in today and it’s honey bound. No brood. Can I assume winter bees are out, queen won’t be laying, stop feeding and they’ll work it out? And can I even do a mite count if nurse bees aren’t lurking about? Bees were testy but I was working on removing propolis on sticky frames. Didn’t see the queen but I suck at that and was moving thru the frames rather quickly. Hoping she’s still here, bees weren’t roaring. Had a few solid frames of brood before the treatment. How quickly things can change.