BeeCalc
Varroa treatment thresholds, hive population estimates, honey yield per frame, winter feeding needs, nectar flow planning, and sugar syrup ratios. Made by beekeepers, for beekeepers.
Varroa Mite Treatment Calculator
Calculate mite load from alcohol wash or sugar roll count. Get treatment threshold guidance.
Hive Population Estimator
Estimate colony population from frame counts of brood, bees, and stores.
Honey Yield Calculator
Estimate honey harvest from number of full frames or supers.
Winter Feed Calculator
Calculate sugar syrup and fondant quantities for winter feeding.
Nectar Flow Planner
Plan super additions and harvest timing based on your local nectar flow.
Sugar Syrup Ratio Calculator
Get sugar and water amounts for 1:1 spring or 2:1 fall syrup, in your choice of units.
About BeeCalc
BeeCalc is the first dedicated suite of free beekeeping calculators on the web. Manage varroa mite loads, estimate hive populations, plan winter feeding, calculate honey yields, and time your nectar flow — all from your phone in the apiary.
Every tool runs in your browser with no data leaving your device. Share results via URL — send your varroa count to your bee club or bookmark your feeding schedule.
Varroa mite management is the most critical technical skill in modern beekeeping. The alcohol wash protocol: take a 1/2-cup sample (~300 bees) from the brood area, submerge in 70% isopropyl alcohol or soapy water, agitate for 1 minute, pour through a mesh strainer to catch bees, count mites in the liquid. Mite percentage = mites/300 × 100. Treatment threshold is 2% before mite season peaks; colonies above 3% in fall face high winter mortality.
Colony population math: with a queen laying 1,200–1,800 eggs per day and workers living 6 weeks in summer, equilibrium colony size = daily egg-laying rate × 42 days ≈ 50,000–75,000 workers at peak. Population declines when the queen slows (short days, nectar dearth) and as winter bees (physiologically different, living 4–6 months) replace summer bees. Winter colonies of 10,000–20,000 cluster tightly for warmth.
Honey yield estimation: fully capped deep Langstroth frames hold 5–6 lbs of honey; medium (Illinois) frames hold 3–4 lbs. A super with 9 fully drawn and capped medium frames contains 27–36 lbs before extraction. Extraction efficiency is approximately 90% — wax cappings and residual honey in cells account for 8–10% loss. Only extract capped honey with moisture below 18.6% to prevent fermentation in storage.
Winter feeding requirements: colonies in cold climates (sustained below 20°F) need 60–90 lbs of honey stores. If stores are short, 2:1 sugar syrup (2 lbs sugar : 1 pint water) fed before temperatures drop below 50°F allows bees to ripen it into stores. Below 50°F, switch to dry sugar (mountain camp method), fondant patties, or candy boards — liquid syrup cannot be processed in cold clusters and may promote dysentery.