whats cost per hive per yr

[wightbees]

Although this could very abit due to bying in bulk. What is the running cost per a hive a yr.
By this i only want to include anti pest , sugar syrup, fondant self made,polen sub self made, any i have missed.
Please do not include frames, foundation, hives and parts, or bees.

regards

 

[oliver90owner]

Zilch, if there is a good honey crop!

Regards, RAB

 

[mbc]

Zilch, if there is a good honey crop!

Regards, RAB

Me too ! Well a few pence for oxalic acid and some expensive apiguard for the 'strugglers'

 

[rae]

Once you have got all of the frames/hive etc, running costs are pretty low.

We spent £20 on apiguard, and have enough for 4 more hives next year.
We spent £12 on fondant, and 2 hives haven't finished it.
We spent about £20 on sugar, but this was when we got the nucs and were feeding pretty hard in the summer last year.
Something small on oxalic acid.

The main expenditure has been on kit - hives, frames, 14x12 broods, a second hand extractor, bee suits etc. Once you have all that, beekeeping is not that expensive (unless you get AFB and have to burn everything....)

 

[wightbees]

Thanks for that info rae.

 

[VEG]

Lol just dont go looking into how much all the kit has cost

 

[wightbees]

already looked at that bit Veg, got no money left now to feed them ( only joking )
I am looing at cost so i have a idea at the amount over all it's going to cost me once
Hives are set up.

 

[jezd]

Although this could very abit due to bying in bulk. What is the running cost per a hive a yr.
By this i only want to include anti pest , sugar syrup, fondant self made,polen sub self made, any i have missed.
Please do not include frames, foundation, hives and parts, or bees.

regards

curious why you are asking at the stage?

a) you dont know the weather conditions for the year so its variable
b) you dont know the health issues the bees will face so its variable
c) you dont know how much flow you will get locally so its variable

I would assume the worst and buy with a view to re-using the following year if you have left over 'stuff'.

Fondant will keep, Apigaurd will keep, OA will keep, thymol will keep, sugar will keep, etc etc

JD

 

[BKF Admin]

It used to be 2 years per hive to pay everything back if 2 average honey crop years,not sure now with the price of Hives foundation frames etc.

 

[jezd]

It used to be 2 years per hive to pay everything back if 2 average honey crop years,not sure now with the price of Hives foundation frames etc.

assuming 50lb per hive as an average (hmmm), then assume £2.50 profit per lb and that you sell it all off, thats £125 per yer (ignoring time and effort costs).

setup costs including bees about £375, this is assuming you are buying new items and get the cheapest around.

I would suggest £40 per hive running costs per year, so you are looking at 4 years before you get you money back.

Dont take up beekeeping if its for a quick return

 

[Chris B]

I wouldn't disagree with any of the responses, but the economics of beekeeping are a bit fragile due to some of the variable as mentioned by Jez. What compounds things is that there is a threshold number of hives, above which 3 major additional expenses start to kick in:

Transport cost: once out-apiaries become necessary
Time cost: We all have a limited quantity of leisure time so you eventually start eating into "work time".
Premises cost: your other half will only tolerate the kitchen used for extracting in small quantities, and you need plenty of workshop and storage space.

I can think of 1 economy of scale - as it usually takes me half an hour to light the smoker I'm very thankful it usually stays alight all day thus serving up to 60 inspections.