Bees are known to build their hives pretty much anywhere. In fact, hives can be seen attached to hollow trees, underground, or even out in the open air. However, no matter what the location of these hives might be, using a beehive scale will make you see that the weight of natural hives can differ based on their size.
Table of Contents
Natural Beehives and Their Weight
Here is the average weight of small, medium, and large hives.
How does beehive scale works
Small Hives
Hives in swarm or transit might include only about, 3,000 bees together with their queen. Small beekeeping hive can grow colonies with 20,000 bees making up the population. During the season, small hives can produce about 13 liters of honey that let them almost 35 pounds when full in a beehive scale. On the other hand, empty small hives can weigh approximately 5 pounds.
Medium Hives
Medium natural hives might be composed of about 20,000-30,000 bees. A big part of the population includes female workers, the queen, and several male drones. Medium hives can produce up to 20 liters of honey. On the other hand, the bees may weigh around 7.5 pounds.
Having said this, it is safe to assume that medium full natural hives can weigh around 55 pounds. Empty medium hives can weigh 9 pounds on a beehive scale. The hive’s weight can also vary based on the temperature, season, and environment where it is located. Hives can tend to reach their heaviest during the spring season. The hive will start decreasing in weight from late summer up to winter.
Large Hives
Large natural hives might contain around 60,000 bees. The queen bee could lay up to 1,500 eggs daily in a colony. After 3 weeks, the eggs will turn into workers and drones will emerge after a 24-day period.
In the lifetime of a bee, one bee has the ability to produce a single tablespoon of honey. It means that 9.5 ounces of honey can be produced by 683 bees. If a large hive contains 60,000 bees, it must contain around 40 liters of honey in just one season. All in all, a large full hive might weigh up to 110 pounds in a beehive scale while an empty one can weigh only 17 pounds.
Weight of Full and Empty Hives
Flow hive
Typical empty flow hives that have 6 flow frames weigh about 38.6 pounds. This has room for 60,000 bees, producing 39 pounds of honey in one season. In good flow, full flow hives weigh around 80 pounds.
Scale Hives – keeping track of the weight of my hives
Langstroth hive
Langstroth is another type of artificial hive. This is popularly used in North America and Australia. Typical Langstroth hives have two deep boxes weighing 80 pounds. Langstroth hives with three medium boxes have a weight of 60 pounds.
Horizontal Langstroth hives
These hives are much easier to lift compared to flow and traditional Langstroth hives. Each frame of this hive has a weight of 7 pounds. It means that empty horizontal Langstroth hives with 20 frames can weigh up to 150 pounds in a beehive scale.
When you speak of uncapping, this refers to the process of getting rid of the thin beeswax that covers off the honey frames for the honey to be exposed. Only once you expose the honey will you be able to extract it. How? Read more information in the article.
