Honey Yield 2015
So the results are in. After expanding 4 colonies, spending £250 on bees and new equipment, putting in circa 100 hours of beekeeping and 3 hours extracting, … I have a yield of 2.5lb. That’s a grand total of 5 jars of honey.
When I announced the yield to my wife I suddenly felt a bit worried about my future claims that all my hours away from child-rearing duties attending the bees might not be met with such understanding. My wife was certainly questioning why I had invested money in a trolley to carry “all my honey”. The electric extractor will have to wait! I also had to break the news to my toddler that she would not be opening a honey stall at the end of our garden after all.
Of course, announcing my yield to my beekeeping circle is a bit like how Nick Clegg must have felt when he realised his political party could fit into a London taxi. It doesn’t do much for the ego. Though, to be fair on myself, I got off to a bad start with no colonies getting through the winter, so it was never going to be a bumper crop.
Now it’s time to think positive. Even Usain Bolt has his off days and to quote the man himself:
“I know what I need to do to be a champion, so I’m working on it.”
To get more honey, I need to get these colonies through the winter. I’m aiming for 100lb next year!
So what are my chances of success next year?
Well, this doesn’t bode well … a warning was issued today from the National Bee Unit: “In many areas of the UK nectar flows have ceased and reports are coming in from Regional and Seasonal Bee Inspectors of starving bee colonies, where the beekeeper is not aware that the bees are severely short of food, or the colony(s) have already starved to death.”
But I have a plan, a cunning one no less … but more on this in future posts.
Postscript
October 2015 – The BBKA Honey Survey blamed lower honey yields this year on “… excessively windy and with too few prolonged warm spells”.
Read More
- My Honey Yields (over the years)
- Harvesting Honey
- Feeding Bees
- Apiary Notes
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Not just me then! Had a similar poor year. Theres always next year. Great blog Roger. Keep it up
Hi Roger,
You are a man after my own heart and I empathise with you on your honey yield. However don’t measure your enjoyment with your bees by the amount of money you spend or indeed your honey yield, despite the frowns and tuts from Management.. We’ve all been there. Think on my friend about the hours you have enjoyed yourself watching your bees, the excitement on finding that elusive queen or indeed the cudos of requeening that aggressive hive. Remind her how much a season ticket to football would cost or indeed membership of a golf club.
Meantime make sure you treat your bees for varroa (more expense) and that they go into winter with plenty of stores. Here’s to a successful 2016 season!
Well, that’s more than I’ve had some years. There’s far more pleasure in keeping bees than just the honey.
I’m in my third year and have two supers full of honey to extract. I got nothing that I would take in years one and two.
I see myself as a pollinator manager rather than a honey producer.
I’m amazed your honey was so low, I started this year with 5 hives, collecting swarms and artificial swarms I now have 12 colonies, have already removed 3 supers, and have another 5 to remove
I’m on the south coast near Southampton, where are you? BTW I’m nowhere near any OSR.
I’m in Gloucestershire.
You must be doing something right.
My yeild was a bit more than last year but not by much And that it thanks to the bees not my barely competent bee keeping skills. Personally I feel if they get through a winter without me killing them its a win!
Bee keeping is like cricket-a long game…Tell your wife your sanity is worth it as it is much cheaper than therapy!
The jury is still out on if these bees are helping me regain my sanity 🙂
I’m actually having to feed my bees already as the heat wave here in Italy has been atrocious. The bees have spent most of their time collecting water for their air-conditioning, rather than nectar for stores. So from 4 hives, I have one and a half frames in only one super. The rest are empty. So I’m quite envious of your 5 jars. Better luck next year, and as everyone says, the interest is in the bees not the honey.
My first full year beekeeping, delighted to have extracted almost 5 full jars worth of delicious honey. Really enjoy reading your posts, intrigued at what your cunning plan might be…
Thanks for your feedback. Always appreciated. The cunning plan will be revealed soon …
Hi Roger,
My beekeeping mentor always told me ” keeping bees isn’t all honey” I think we are all finding that this year!!
Best wishes
Alan
I agree. I get far more enjoyment in ensuring the bees get through the winter so that I can enjoy them in April.
This is my first few months of beekeeping with just two hives. Is it better for the bees to have honey left in a super to see them through the winter or do I take it and then feed them? The hives have honey on the brood frames.
The choice is yours. Just make sure they always have sufficient food and that you use a Varroa treatment now (Apiguard or MAQs strips). I lost a colony to starvation in September one year.
I have the same number of hives on the same sites as I did last year so easy to compare. Last year I ended up with 350lbs. This year I had about 80lbs in the Spring and thats about it. Might get a couple of supers of balsam in a few weeks time but overall a very poor year. Blame the cold wet spring. Plants and bees never really recovered.
Hi Ray,
This seems to be the message I am getting from other beekeepers I communicate with. Lower honey yields this year.
Roger
And I should add that I was feeding most colonies in June and July to keep them going. Did the rounds yesterday and despite a light balsam flow there was little extra in the supers than a few weeks ago. Also some of the brood boxes are starting to feel light again. Will probably start varroa treatment early this year so I can get feeding started.