Hive Honey Stores Calculator
Estimate the honey and stores in a hive from a hefting or scale weight. Enter the total hive weight, your empty equipment weight and the weight of the bees to see pounds of stores and whether the colony meets a common winter minimum.
How to estimate hive honey stores
- Weigh the whole hive, or read it from a hive scale.
- Enter the total weight, then your empty equipment weight.
- Set the weight of the bees, often about 8 lb for a strong colony.
- Read off the stores and the winter readiness flag.
Examples
A well stocked hive
120 lb total, 40 lb equipment, 8 lb bees
72 lb of stores, adequate for winter
A light hive
90 lb total, 40 lb equipment, 8 lb bees
42 lb of stores, below the winter minimum
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my equipment weight?
Weigh your boxes, frames, foundation, bottom board, inner cover and lid empty, before bees and honey. Keeping a record for each hive setup lets you subtract it from the full weight to isolate the stores.
How much do the bees weigh?
A strong colony of bees weighs roughly 8 pounds, and the tool uses that as the default. A small or recently installed colony weighs less, so lower the figure if your colony is light.
How many pounds of honey do bees need for winter?
A common northern winter minimum is about 60 pounds of stores, which is why the tool flags that level. Milder regions need less and very cold, long winters can need much more.
Why heft or weigh the hive at all?
Weight is the most direct sign of stores without opening the hive in cold weather. Hefting from the back or using a luggage scale or hive scale lets you track stores through fall and winter with little disturbance.
Is the 60 pound minimum right for me?
Not always. It is a general guideline. The right target depends a lot on your climate, colony size and winter length, so confirm a local figure with a beekeeping association or extension office.
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