I've read countless times how you north americans get a 100 pounds out of a hive on a bad year. now..as much as i was astonished by it, it got me thinking, why do we get only 20 pounds, if it's a good year 40
My average yield has been 160 pouns per hive during last 4 years. Now it is bad summer and I got about 120.
The basic to big yields are
1) good queens
2) big hives
3) good pastures
4) not too much bees to share pastures
5) short fly distance, under 1 km. - more bees longer seaching distances.
Still I wonder every year how one place may give 3-5 fould more that another place. To finf good pastures is a key to big yields.
I have found that if bees must fly over 1 km to rape field, yield will drop from 200 pound to 100 pound.
This summer I have in my home yard rape, which located 2 km away. Bees got nothing surpluss. Everything was consumed to brood. Nectar was quite wetty for rainy weather.
We have only 2 yield month: June and July.
To get honey in June I must start with protein feeding at the beginning of April. So I have enough bees in foraging age at the end of May.
When my hive is wintered with 2 Lngs.box, I may get 80-180 pound during June. One box wintered hives are not able to get surplus.
This summer all hives were empty when I took them to rape field at the beginning of Junly.
What I am saying: Hive must be ready to attack when weather is good and certain flowers are blooming.
**********
What I have seen Mici's hive, the reason of small yields are:
Small hives
no migrating= pastures are what they are near home
perhaps over grazing
How to avoid honey yield:
1) Dont select queens. Use what ever wghich has long abdomen.
2) Use swarming hives, let them escape
3) Fill hive with sugar allredy in spring
4) Like natural methods
5) Think bees as petties, not as production units.
6) Do work with bees as little as possible.
7) use metdods against bees natural insticnts.
8) Most important: believe everybody who says something - the more stupid the more fantastic!
9) If you are beginner, renew the whole beekeeping at once and refind the wheel( and every year of course)
.