How do you gauge whether there's room for more hives in your apiary?

[Zante]

Let's say in an apiary I have four hives.
How do I know whether there is enough forage for one or two more hives or not?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just keep adding one until you find that the total honey yield is not increasing in line with the increase in colonies.
Or to put it another way when your mean average yield per hive starts decreasing

 

[Zante]

Is there a limit to what a single hive can pack away in the supers considering plenty of forage?

I mean, let's say there is enough forage for twenty hives. Would ten hives store more each but not quite double? Would the quantity not even approach double?

I'm not quite sure how to frame the question properly, I hope you can understand what I'm asking from context.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do understand, but it's a piece of string really - all depends on the colony, Some years I've had colonies pack in 200 lbs, others they struggle due to a variety of reasons.
You just have to suck it and see, there's no real answer - if you have two hives with an average yield of, say, 50 lbs, then you add another couple and get the same averages then you know you're OK. takes a few years to gauge rrally

 

[Zante]

OK, kind-of makes sense. I suppose I'll have to see it in the field to really understand it.

Thank you.

 

[sugarbush]

When you have enough hives at one location that it isn't feasible to work them all in a half day or so, then it's time to start another yard.

I would consider available forage, but there are other factors like room to place hives, ease of assess, what the property owner does in the proximity of the hives. etc.

My largest yards of the past have been about 30 hives, now days I don't like more than 10-15.

 

[Eyeman]

When you have enough hives at one location that it isn't feasible to work them all in a half day or so, then it's time to start another yard.

This is the bottom line for me.
Since reducing from 8 to 4 honey producers plus nucs per site beekeeping is so much more pleasurable. Also I can call in on my bike after work and get around one site in an hour or two. It's the psychological factor of only having 4 main hives to inspect at one site that brings back that old feeling of how beekeeping was when I started out with just 2 hives.

Trying to gauge hives / site based on forage availability will be difficult as every season is different

 

[sugarbush]

Trying to gauge hives / site based on forage availability will be difficult as every season is different

Agreed; what isn't enough hives on a spring honey flow will be too many in a July dearth.

 

[user 6228]

just keep adding one until you find that the total honey yield is not increasing in line with the increase in colonies.
Or to put it another way when your mean average yield per hive starts decreasing

averaged over 10 years and normalised with respect to 50 other local apiaries

 

[enrico]

Two years ago best ever crop, last year worst ever crop.......I agree, I have just the right Mount of hives for it still to be a pleasure. When it becomes a chore reduce the numbers!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

averaged over 10 years and normalised with respect to 50 other local apiaries

Yup - I believe that's what Manley said

 

[Poly Hive]

He did indeed.

There is one exception and that is a good heather site as it is pretty difficult to over stock on that situation. I used to set out 40 on a site and probably could have doubled it with no effect.

On normal flora then the top end I found was the 40 colonies on one spot.

PH