Honey Yield Calculator

How this calculator works

There are two ways to estimate a honey crop. The first multiplies your number of colonies by a typical surplus per hive for a poor, average or strong season. The second counts frames: each full frame holds a known weight of honey, about 7 pounds for a deep frame, 5 for a medium and 3.5 for a shallow, and you scale that by how full and capped the frames are. The result is converted to US gallons at about 12 pounds per gallon, and to the number of jars you can fill.

A worked example

Two hives in an average season give an estimated 80 pounds of surplus, which is about 6.7 gallons or 26 quart jars. If you count frames instead and have 20 deep frames that are 90 percent full, you get 20 × 7 × 0.9 = 126 pounds. The difference reminds you that estimates by hive are rough, and counting frames at harvest is more accurate.

Why yields vary so much

Surplus depends on weather, nectar flow, colony strength, local forage and management. A colony in a rich clover or basswood area can give well over 60 pounds in a good year, while a dry year, a late spring or a weak colony may give none. New colonies spend most of their first season building comb and stores, so most beekeepers plan on little or no honey from a first-year hive.

Where these numbers come from

Surplus ranges reflect commonly quoted figures from beekeeping extension materials and vary by region and year, so use your own records once you have them. Frame capacities are approximate for standard Langstroth frames. A US gallon of honey weighs about 12 pounds, and jar capacities follow the usual weights for quart, pint and half-pint jars.