Beekeeping calculators

Calculators for the questions that come up in fall: is there enough honey for winter, how much sugar to feed if not, is the mite count too high, and how much sugar and water go into the syrup. Each one names the sources behind its numbers, so you can check them against what your local extension service or bee club uses.

• Winter honey stores calculator

  Count deep, medium and shallow frames and how full they are. You get estimated pounds or kilograms of honey, compared with a winter target you set, and the sugar it would take to close a gap.

• Varroa mite calculator

  Enter the mites from an alcohol wash or powdered sugar roll and the number of bees in the sample. You get mites per 100 bees and whether that is above or below the threshold the Honey Bee Health Coalition or Mississippi State Extension uses for the season.

• Sugar syrup calculator

  1:1 or 2:1, mixed by weight or by volume, which give different syrups. Enter how much syrup you want or how much sugar you have, and get the sugar, the water and the volume the syrup ends up with.

• How much sugar to feed bees for winter

  Enter the honey the hive has and your winter target. You get the pounds of sugar, gallons of 2:1 syrup and 25 lb bags to close the gap.

• How heavy should a hive be for winter

  Enter a scale reading or a one-side lift. The page subtracts the empty hive and the bees and shows the honey that is left.

• When to stop feeding bees in fall

  Enter your daytime high and see it against the two published cutoffs for liquid syrup, 57°F from Oregon State Extension and 50°F from the Honey Bee Health Coalition.

• Candy board recipe for bees

  Sugar and water for a number of candy boards or the pounds of sugar you have, for two published mixes side by side, with the number of 25 lb bags.

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