Feed Quantity Calculator
Calculate the total feed quantity for your bee colonies before feeding.
Correct feeding in late summer determines successful wintering. Reckon per colony with the feed quantity that suits your way of working and your region.
Still to feed
– kg
The figures are rules of thumb: stored winter feed holds around 18 % water, ready-made syrup around 73 % sugar. A pail holds 14 kg of syrup, a bag 25 kg of sugar. What your colony really needs depends on region, length of winter and colony strength.
Record what you fed, per colony
Feeding runs in several rounds. Which colony had how much is not something you still know by heart after the third.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much sugar makes how much winter feed?
Not one to one. The bees dry the feed down to around 18 % water, so 1 kg of sugar yields about 1.2 kg of stored feed. For 15 kg of winter feed you therefore need around 12 kg of sugar – mixed 3:2 with about 8 litres of water.
Ready-made syrup or sugar syrup you mix yourself?
Ready-made syrup contains around 73 % sugar, is ready to use and needs no stirring – but costs more. Syrup you mix yourself is cheaper but means work and has to be fed promptly, otherwise it ferments. Both are equally good for the bees.
When do I feed?
After the last harvest, once the varroa treatment is running or finished – usually from late July to early September. Portion the feed so the colony takes it down promptly.
How much winter feed does a colony need?
As a rule of thumb 15 to 20 kg, depending on hive and region: around 15 kg on a single brood box, 18 to 20 kg on a double, about 16 kg for Dadant, around 10 kg for a six-frame nucleus. In harsh locations with long winters rather more. What matters is not the figure but that something is still there in February.
How do I estimate what is already in the hive?
Most simply by tilting the hive from the back – with a little practice you can feel the weight. Pulling combs is more precise: a full comb carries roughly 2 to 3 kg depending on the frame size. Add up what is sealed.