Colony Management
For Maximum Honey
Production
Clarence H. Collison
Emeritus Professor/Dept. Head
Mississippi State University
Management Varies:
 Type
of Honey
 Geographical Region
 Local Weather Patterns
 Floral Sources
PERIOD
COLONY
POPULATION
NECTAR
FLOW
TIME
Apiary Location
With Abundant
Floral Sources
Young Productive
Queens From Good
Genetic Stock
Proper Hive
Manipulations
Stimulatory Feeding
Pollen Supplement
Pollen Substitute
6 Weeks
There Is A Basic
Relationship Between
Brood And Adult Population
That Determines The Rate
Of Growth Or Development
Of The Colony.
As The Colony
Population Increases,
The Efficiency Of The
Colony Improves.
As The Colony
Population Increases,
A Smaller Proportion
Of Bees Are Needed
For Brood Rearing.
A Large Colony Produces
More Brood Than A Small
Colony Yet Has A Higher
Proportion Of Its Bees
Available For Gathering
Nectar And Pollen.
10,000 Bees
20,000 Bees
30,000 Bees
40,000 Bees
50,000 Bees
60,000 Bees
2,000 Foragers
5,000 Foragers
10,000 Foragers
20,000 Foragers
30,000 Foragers
39,000 Foragers
During A Two Week
Honey Flow, A Full
Strength Colony With
60,000 Bees Will Normally
Produce 50% More Honey
Than Four Colonies Each
With 15,000 Bees.
Colony Nutrition
Worker
Cannibalism
Reverse Brood
Chambers
Double Screen- A Wooden Frame Holding Two Layers
Of Wire
Screen, Usually 8- Mesh, About ½ Inch Apart.
Empty Comb
2 Frames Pollen, 2 Frames Honey
5-6 Frames Of Brood, Mostly Sealed
Double Screen
Empty Comb, Honey, Pollen
3-5 Frames Of Unsealed Brood
Old Queen
Cut Out All Queen
Cells
Unsealed Brood
Queen Excluder
Honey Supers
Queen Excluder
Old Queen + Capped Brood
In 7-10 Days, Return To
Inspect The Colony And
Destroy Any New Queen
Cells That May Have
Developed In The Upper
Hive Bodies
http://msucares.com/pubs/
publications/p1817.pdf