Hive scales have become fairly popular lately and for good reason.
It would take years of beekeeping to develop the skills required to gather the same information a hive scale will give you.
Over the course of a few readings, you can gather the data needed to estimate what is happening inside the hive without having to open it.
How cool is that? There is no need to inspect the colony to figure out how much honey is left or if they are bringing in nectar from nature.
Hive scales let beekeepers monitor nectar flow, honey production, and colony changes without opening the hive
Weight data helps predict starvation, detect swarming, and time harvests based on local bloom cycles.
Modern hive scales provide accurate, real-time insights that improve management decisions and reduce hive disturbance.
Table of Contents
Here Are 5 Reasons You Need A Hive Scale:
- You’ll learn about your local flower blooms and how they affect your bees
Learn how much honey your hive can produce and how much you can harvest
Know if your bees are going to starve during the winter, before its too late
Know if your bees have swarmed while you were away and how it affects the production
Have a great answer with details for people who ask “How are your bees?”
I had so many questions when I started beekeeping and it was difficult to get a straight answer.
The holy grail of beekeeping information is knowing the local schedule, seemingly held tightly by the “old-timers”. Knowing when the spring nectar flow starts and ends is very helpful.
It helps you make the most of the nectar flow and also helps prevent swarming.
Hive Scale Options
The platform scale that we used and still use is a Cardinal Deteco.
It has worked very well for us over the years, even with some newer options available.
We also used the Bluetooth-connected hive scales, humidity and temperature sensors. This is our hive scale of choice for our hives.
Adam Hickman owns Foxhound Bee Company and is a certified EAS Master Beekeeper. Before ever selling a box through Foxhound Bee Company, Adam wrote beekeeping blogs for education. Adam regularly teaches beekeeping classes through Foxhound Bee Co and also through his local beekeeping club.