How much honey do you make per hive?

Bob Wilson · May 06, 2023, 09:08:44 AM

I understand that there are beeks who pull 200 lbs of honey off some of there hives. I realize that honey production depends on the type of bees, experience in spring build up and management, hive health, etc.
However, considering all things equal...
1. What is your average crop expectation from the usual honey flow in your area?
2. How many boxes do your colonies require at their busiest point.
3. What state/area do you live?

The15thMember · May 06, 2023, 04:00:16 PM

1. I run from 5-10 hives, and I average 12 gallons of honey a year. My biggest flows are blackberries (going on right now) and sourwood in July, although the sourwood is variable year to year, and I usually still get honey from other sources if the sourwood doesn't come in.
2. I use 8 frame mediums, and I frequently have colonies at 5 or 6 boxes. I have never had a hive in 7 boxes, but this could be the year, as I have one colony that is already in 5.
3. I live in the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina.

max2 · May 06, 2023, 06:43:33 PM

Difficult to say now as I make quite a lot of comb honey from many of my hives.
I also make more nuc's.
A couple of years ago when i was focusing on honey I AVERAGED around 170kg per hive with the best around 300kg.
This is with a single, FD , 10 frame broodbox and a queen excluder.

Occam · May 06, 2023, 08:43:12 PM

Related to this topic I'm curious...is there any benefit to just adding more boxes on top rather than just pulling a box and putting on a new one? During of the honey perhaps being the main reason? But if it's capped and cured wouldn't it be better to just pull the frames or boxes and add new rather than make a hive 5 or 6 boxes high?

The15thMember · May 06, 2023, 10:31:46 PM

Quote from: Occam on May 06, 2023, 08:43:12 PM
Related to this topic I'm curious...is there any benefit to just adding more boxes on top rather than just pulling a box and putting on a new one? During of the honey perhaps being the main reason? But if it's capped and cured wouldn't it be better to just pull the frames or boxes and add new rather than make a hive 5 or 6 boxes high?

I always leave one full or nearly full box of capped honey on the hive, both as food for the bees and to serve as a honey barrier to keep the queen out of the supers. Other than that box, I pull supers as soon as they are capped. But with 8 frame mediums and no QXes, hives can get tall fast. I often have 3 boxes of brood and, if the flow is good enough, 2 supers being worked on simultaneously.

Ben Framed · May 07, 2023, 12:11:45 AM

Quote
Occam
But if it's capped and cured wouldn't it be better to just pull the frames or boxes and add new rather than make a hive 5 or 6 boxes high?

I would suppose that would be a personal choice and what works better for the individual beekeeper along with what type beekeeper that person might be.. For example; A commercial beekeeper such as OldBeavo would probably do better to pull it all at the same time?

Phillip

Acebird · May 07, 2023, 08:06:29 AM

Quote from: Occam on May 06, 2023, 08:43:12 PM
But if it's capped and cured wouldn't it be better to just pull the frames or boxes and add new rather than make a hive 5 or 6 boxes high?

If it is coming in fast they don't take the time to cap.

Ben Framed · May 07, 2023, 06:14:08 PM

Quote from: Acebird on May 07, 2023, 08:06:29 AM
Quote from: Occam on May 06, 2023, 08:43:12 PM
But if it's capped and cured wouldn't it be better to just pull the frames or boxes and add new rather than make a hive 5 or 6 boxes high?
If it is coming in fast they don't take the time to cap.

Plus it has to be cured to a proper level and that can take a bit of time, as the flow continues in full swing, which kind of coincides with what Ace saying, "if it is coming in fast". There might not be enough time for the bees to cure it before a second or even a third box is needed in a 'very heavy' flow. For instance; In TheHoneyPumps location in the very far North, the season is condensed with a heavy abundance of nectar in a short time, as compared to my location.
Location as in most things bees can and does make a difference as well as other factors.

Phillip

Michael Bush · May 08, 2023, 07:03:12 AM

The extremes in Nebraska are so wide and so common that I think an average is kind of meaningless. I've made as much as 200 pounds from every hive, but only once, and as little as nothing, many times. I think they say the average for Nebraska is between 20 and 40 pounds per hive. That sounds about right averaged out, but it doesn't mean I'll get that very often. Usually it will be more or it will be less...