Advanced Bee Grade Calculator

Bee Grade Input

Colony ID / Name

Inspection Date

Adult Bee Strength (frames, 0-12)

Frames well covered with adult bees.

Capped Brood Area (frames, 0-10)

Total frames mainly containing healthy capped brood.

Brood Pattern Quality (1-5)

5 = solid pattern, 1 = scattered, many empty cells.

Honey Stores (kg, 0-40)

Estimated total sealed and open nectar/honey.

Pollen Stores

Queen Status

Varroa Load (mites / 100 bees)

≤3 excellent, 3-5 acceptable, 5-10 concerning, >10 critical.

Temperament (1-5)

5 = very calm, 1 = highly defensive.

Hygienic Behavior (1-5)

Higher score for good removal of diseased / dead brood.

Bee Grade Results

#	Colony	Date	Bee Strength	Brood Frames	Brood Pattern	Honey (kg)	Pollen	Queen	Varroa	Total Score	Grade	Assessment

Example Colony Grading Table

Example values showing how different performance levels translate into overall grades.

Colony	Bee Strength	Brood Frames	Brood Pattern	Honey (kg)	Pollen	Queen Status	Varroa	Temperament	Hygiene	Approx. Score	Grade
Colony A	11	9	5	25	Abundant	Strong, consistent laying	2.0	5	5	≈ 94	A+
Colony B	8	7	4	15	Moderate	Acceptable	4.0	4	4	≈ 82	A
Colony C	5	4	3	6	Low	Questionable	9.0	3	3	≈ 55	D

Formula Used

The calculator converts field observations into a 0–100 Bee Grade Index using weighted components commonly monitored in colony assessments. Each component is normalized to its range, multiplied by its weight, and then summed.

Adult bee strength (0–12 frames): 20 points max.
Capped brood area (0–10 frames): 20 points max.
Brood pattern quality (1–5): 10 points max.
Honey stores (0–40 kg): 10 points max.
Pollen stores (Low/Moderate/Abundant): up to 5 points.
Queen status: up to 15 points (strong vs failing/absent).
Varroa/disease impact (mites per 100 bees): up to 10 points.
Temperament (1–5): up to 5 points.
Hygienic behavior (1–5): up to 5 points.

Grades are mapped from the index: A+ (≥90), A (80–89.9), B (70–79.9), C (60–69.9), D (45–59.9), F (<45). You may adjust weights or thresholds in code for your protocol.

How to Use This Calculator

Inspect each colony following a consistent, documented inspection protocol.
Record adult bee strength, brood frames, brood pattern and food stores.
Assess queen performance, temperament, hygienic behavior and Varroa load.
Enter values for one colony and click \"Add Colony Grade\".
Repeat for all colonies to build a comparative results table.
Use CSV export for spreadsheets and PDF export for audit-ready reports.
Track trends over time and base management on objective score changes.

Bee Grade Thresholds and Score Bands

Use these score bands to quickly interpret overall colony status.

Grade	Score Range	Interpretation
A+	≥ 90	Exceptional genetics, health and productivity; ideal breeder candidate.
A	80 – 89.9	Strong and stable; prioritize for honey production and splits.
B	70 – 79.9	Good performance; monitor nutrition, mites and brood pattern.
C	60 – 69.9	Borderline; consider requeening, boosting population or feeding.
D	45 – 59.9	Weak; aggressive management changes needed soon.
F	< 45	Critical; evaluate for combining or humane removal.

Weighted Parameters at a Glance

Higher weights indicate stronger influence on the final Bee Grade Index.

Adult bee strength + capped brood together: 40% of total score.
Queen status and brood pattern quality: combined 25% influence.
Varroa / disease pressure and hygienic behavior: resilience-critical 15%.
Honey and pollen stores plus temperament: remaining 20% for productivity and handling.

Recommended Actions by Bee Grade

Grade	Suggested Management Response
A+, A	Use for queen rearing, splits, and performance benchmarks.
B	Maintain; apply routine mite control and nutrition checks.
C	Consider requeening, targeted feeding, brood boosting from stronger colonies.
D	Investigate disease, heavy mites, poor queen; urgent corrective steps.
F	High failure risk; combine, replace queen, or remove colony.

Using Grades for Seasonal Comparison

Record Bee Grade Index values every inspection cycle. Compare colonies within apiaries, track improvement after treatments, feeding or requeening, and flag downward trends before visible collapse. Export CSV/PDF to maintain permanent compliance and research records.