Overcrowding an area

[Wickss]

I am thinking about keeping bees commercially. What is the maximum number of hives that an area will support? If I have 100 hives on one farm, would there be enough pollen to support that many hives? Would I have to find multiple farms or orchards and work out a sharecropping deal with the owners?

[sqkcrk]

This is being discussed on another thread, but basically, in my opinion, the number of colonies per yard is more a matter of what you feel comfortable working, at a time. I can't tell you what your ecosystem in CO will support. It could be two or two hundred.

Start w/ 20 per yard and add more, as you feel out the answer through experience.

[AndreiRN]

From others I heard that 50 - 60 hives per location is acceptable.
You can keep 400 but you have to feed them.

[Beeslave]

It all depends on forage available. In FL citrus 80 hives is no problem, usually. In WI by me 40 is plenty and 24-32 is better. The fewer you have the faster you can get the honey off so you are not starting a robbing frenzy when there is not a flow going on.

[Roland]

I agree with Beeslave, around 30 seems to work well.


Roland

[suttonbeeman]

We keep 24-32 in most yards in KY. A few locations I put 48 (really good clover/poplar areas). Other than robbing, a good area can support 100. A few years back there were 3 beekeepers in my area, all of us were 1 mile apart with yards ranging 32-48 and we all did good. I have put 100 to 150 in a yard in Fl on orange....and there are many MANY yards within 1 mile! 200/yard on pepper.

[brooksbeefarm]

I have 34 hives here at home and didn't have a problem all summer. Things changed this fall,we have a dearth right now 8/31/09 before the aster and goldenrod bloom and i can't take a lid off a hive without robbers showing up:eek:. Makes winter inspection miserable,guess i'll have to wait and hope for a fall flow.:( Jack

[Grant]

My hive numbers vary, largely to the comfort level of the landlord (or the spouse).

Ideally, I like 16 to 20 hives for one location, but I have a good idea that some yards could support more. I would put more, but I also have more people wanting hives on their farm than I have hives.

One of my constraints is how many supers I want to put on my truck at harvest time. Not wanting to drag a trailer into some tight spots requiring 4x4, I prefer to put everything on my truck. And it's not the weight, it's how many hives will be shifting their presence under the ratchet straps.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Trevor Mansell]

We keep 24-32 in most yards in KY. A few locations I put 48 (really good clover/poplar areas). Other than robbing, a good area can support 100. A few years back there were 3 beekeepers in my area, all of us were 1 mile apart with yards ranging 32-48 and we all did good. I have put 100 to 150 in a yard in Fl on orange....and there are many MANY yards within 1 mile! 200/yard on pepper.

200 per yard on pepper!! WOW, talk about a robbing frenzy.