Supplemental Feeding Calculator

Calculate sugar syrup and pollen substitute requirements for supplemental bee feeding based on hive count, colony strength, and feeding duration.

Inputs

Number of Hives

Colony Strength

Feeding Duration

weeks

Tab to move between fields

Results

Total Sugar Syrup

11.2 gallons

≈ 11 milk jugs

Pollen Substitute

8 lbs

≈ 32 sticks of butter

Sugar Needed (2:1 syrup)112 lbs

Sugar Needed (1:1 syrup)90 lbs

Feeding RecommendationSupplemental — 1:1 syrup to stimulate brood rearing

Sugar Cost$67.00

Pollen Sub Cost$24.00

Total Cost$91.00

How to Use This Calculator

Enter Number of Hives, Colony Strength, and Feeding Duration.
Review Total Sugar Syrup (gallons) and Pollen Substitute (lbs).
Use Sugar Needed (2:1 syrup) (lbs) and Sugar Needed (1:1 syrup) (lbs) to inform your decision.
Use the chart to visualize the results and explore different scenarios by adjusting inputs.

How the result changes with Feeding Duration

Feeding Duration	Total Sugar Syrup	Pollen Substitute
3.5	9.8 gallons	7 lbs
9.75	27.3 gallons	19.5 lbs
17	47.6 gallons	34 lbs
24	67.2 gallons	48 lbs

What each input means

Number of Hives: Total hives requiring supplemental feeding.
Colony Strength: Average colony strength: 1 = Very Weak (3–4 frames), 3 = Moderate (8–10 frames), 5 = Strong (15+ frames).
Feeding Duration: Number of weeks you plan to feed. Fall feeding for winter prep typically lasts 3–6 weeks.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
Number of Hives = 4, Colony Strength = 3, Feeding Duration = 4 = 3 input(s) provided
Calculate Total Sugar Syrup
Total Sugar Syrup
11.2 = 11.2
Calculate Pollen Substitute
Pollen Substitute
8 = 8
Calculate Sugar Needed
Sugar Needed
112 = 112
Calculate Sugar Needed
Sugar Needed
90 = 90

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