How much honey is in a Med Super?

[tnmx]

How many Lbs. or gallons of honey is in a full 10 frame med super? or what would be a good avg? I have seen numbers from 35# to 50#.
thanks

[tsmullins]

Here you go:

http://www.beeclass.com/dts/honeysuper.htm

Shane

[justinh83]

Here you go:

http://www.beeclass.com/dts/honeysuper.htm

Shane

I believe those numbers are accurate assuming the box is running the maximum number of frames.

[Peter]

http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...oney-per-frame

[Steve C]

My avg so far on 10 frame per box of 1pc Med Pierco is abt 39 Lbs or 26 Pt jars = 3.26 gal
the lowest I got was 36 Lbs. or 24 Pt jars = 3 gal
this was all brand new pierco... thats why i loaded it up with 10 vice 9.
I don't know how 9 frame per box would have done.... that will be next years project...

[Peter]

Typically you would only use 9 frames in a 10 frame box when you have drawn comb, it will maximize the production as they will draw out the comb father to fill the extra space.
If you try to add 9 new frames of undrawn foundation to a 10 frame box it will give more space than the correct "bee space" and they will tend to build wild comb and burr comb etc. and you'll probably end up with a real mess.

[jbeshearse]

Typically you would only use 9 frames in a 10 frame box when you have drawn comb, it will maximize the production as they will draw out the comb father to fill the extra space.

Math, Honey & Medium Supers

Honey weighs 12 lb per gallon (0.053 lb per cubic inch)
Interior dimensions of a medium 10 frame Langstroth Super is 14.75 x 18.375 x 6.625
Frame size 19 x 6.25
Effective honey storage area of each frame is 5.625 x 17
Effective Cubic Inches of honey storage area in medium hive
(5.625 x 17 x 14.75) = 1410
Cubic inches of bee space using 10 frames
(11 spaces @ .375” = 5.625 x 17 x .375 x 11) = 395
Cubic inches of bee space using 9 frames
(10 spaces @ .375” = 5.625 x 17 x .375 x 10) = 359
Cubic inches of bee space using 10 frames
(9 spaces @ .375” = 5.625 x 17 x .375 x 9) = 323

Theoretical capacity of medium super with 10 frames (no allowance for wax):
Cubic inches of space in hive minus bee space times lb per cubic inch
(1410 – 395) x 0.053 = 53.80 lbs

Theoretical capacity of medium super with 9 frames (no allowance for wax):
Cubic inches of space in hive minus bee space times lb per cubic inch
(1410 – 359) x 0.053 = 55.70 lbs

Theoretical capacity of medium super with 8 frames (no allowance for wax):
Cubic inches of space in hive minus bee space times lb per cubic inch
(1410 – 323) x 0.053 = 57.6 lbs

So per the above, the maximum amount of honey you can get from a 10 frame medium with 10 frames is going to be somewhere short of 53.8 lbs. It depends on how full the frames are. I did not allow for wax in the above calculations so actual will be less.

For each frame you remove the bees can get about 2 lbs more honey into the super. The main reason to use 8 or 9 frames instead of 10 is not the amount of honey but is less frames to uncap, easier uncapping and less wax for the bees to draw. Downside is less surface area of exposed honey which extends the time it takes the bees to cure it.

[beeware10]

anyone getting over 40# may need a new scale.

[beedeetee]

You will average 30 lbs from mediums.

[jbeshearse]

Yes, I agree, all the math aside, I average between 30 & 35 lbs per medium on my fully capped 10 frame boxes.

[tnmx]

Thanks guys. I will let the girls know what is expected.

[heaflaw]

Okay, so how much in a shallow?

[odfrank]

These all assume all the frames are full, which they often aren't around here. I have been seeing closer to 26 lbs. a super average. In 2006, my main yard looked like the honey had been poured from a cement mixer, and that year a medium probably did produce 35# +.

[jim lyon]

Pretty much on the mark odfrank. I usually figure nicely full mediums avg. 30 to 32 lbs. 35# if they are really full. Unfortunately we've had a few of those years where 20 to 25 is the norm. Come on warm weather........

[odfrank]

Another factor - over supering. We have a long flow flow, I check the bees every few weeks depending on month and weather, stacking boxes on as the existing become filled, rarely more than two at once. I get fully filled boxes with the uppermost sometimes partial or empty. My buddy stacks on three to five at once, planning on the maximum possible need. If the hive or crop isn't that great, he often gets a chimney of honey up the center frames with the sides empty on all boxes. That makes for a lot of unnecessary handling and sorting in the extracting room, and lightweight boxes.