I had an ant problem a month or so ago, and I dealt with it in a week using this. I made some simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water) with a few strawberries in it (to give it aroma), then thickened it with Clear-Gel, but you could use any cornstarch. I mixed it one to one with some Borax (cleaning supplies section of the grocery store), then half-filled a small mason jar with it. I replaced the flat part of the lid with #8 hardware cloth (you could just punch some 1/8" holes in the lid with a nail - big enough for ants, but too small for bees to get in). I then put it next to ant trail on the ground, half-buried to keep it upright. The ants found it quickly and died. The bees couldnāt get to it. Problem solved! 
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Iām BCRanch from Oklahoma, USA. Totally new to beekeeping. Set up our three Flow hives yesterday on our land and will be getting our bees soon. I need all the help I can get! 
Hi. My name is Jon Higgins. I am new to the bee keeping scene. I recently purchased a Flow hive and Iām looking forward to having my own hive. I am located in central Washington State. My hive is in an urban location and will benefit the local public garden and surrounding apple, cherry, and pear orchards. I am looking forward to being part of the Flow Hive team.
Hi Audra,
Iām also in Northwest Ohio and have a flow hive too. Maybe we can meet up and exchange notes. Iām also new to beekeeping. Let me know.
That would be great! I am between Napoleon and Defiance. Where are you?
Do you have your hive up and running yet? I am suppose to get my bees this coming weekend. Iām both excited and nervous. I am taking some beekeeping classes now as well. That has already made me feel so much better. However, I will add that I am hoping the flow hive design works like it should. Based on what Iāve learned, I am wondering if there are some fundamental things missing.
Anyway, I look forward to hearing back from you and would love to have another flow hive user to compare notes with. Thank you for reaching out.
I live in Toledo, Ohio, but I work in Defiance and Napoleon most days of the week. We should definitely meet up and compare notes. Realistically, this year, you are just hoping they will build up a huge colony and fill two brood boxes and get them through winter. We probably wonāt be able to do the honey supers at all, but maybe we will. I got my bees April 27th and they are busy building up their combs. I had an inverted pickle jar filled with sugar water for them over the top hole (you mix 8 pounds of pure cane sugar into one gallon of water, youāll have to heat it to get it to dissolve). I would keep feeding them syrup and even protein (pollen substitute) patties. You want to give them every opportunity to thrive and grow like crazy this year, so syrup and pollen are going to stay on for now. The Flow hive is basically like any other hive, but the honey supers are the only difference. They seem to work very well and the bees seem to like them. I got my bees from Honey Run Apiaries in Delphos, Ohio, just south of Defiance. They are Italian bees (queen) and seem to be very calm and well behaved. Honey Run has lots of other supplies too. I bought a bee suit from them and a hive tool. You really donāt need anything else. Maybe a smoker down the road once the colony is bigger and is trying to protect honey and brood stores. Itās a lot of fun and very fascinating to watch. Message me, I can give you my contact info.
Hey everyone,
Iām Mitch, totally new. Iām still in the research stage. Iām about to escape suburban nightmare and settle into 5 acres in beautiful North Carolina, USA.
I thought I knew what I was going to set up this Fall in anticipation of installing a nuc next spring.
But today my wife said "Look at this Flow hive. "
Itās pretty mind blowing technology and the benefits are immediately apparent. But itās so expensive compared to traditional hives.
Can I please hear from those of you who felt the same way as you came to your decision?
My initial reaction wasā¦donāt need to spend the money on extraction equipment.
I hope to have bees and get to know some of you!
Incredible creatures. Not you, them.
Hi Mitch, Welcomeā¦ The full hive is a more expensive than a traditional hive, but you need to look at what you get. The hive is complete, comes with all the right angles (brood slopes forward, Flow slopes backward), screened bottom board, western red cedar, the Flow super is specifically designed for the Flow frames to fit perfectly and comes with observation windows. If you were to buy a similar hive setup such as a Warreā (much smaller) it wouldnāt cost much less. You donāt need to buy the full Flow hive, just buy the frames and adapt a standard 8 or 10 frame box. Many of us have done and it works equally well. And on to the extraction, have you priced how much it costs to set it all up including a bee proof and food safe room? You are looking at some serious cash outlay. I know I have done it. Decapping knife and accessories ($200), tubs for separating wax and honey ($100), comb scratcher ($20), Extractor ($1500), re-fit of the garage with shelving, new paint and bee proofing door seals and windows ($400), Wax Melter and honey buckets ($150)ā¦ it adds up.
At best you only need a hive stand ($0 for a used pallet), hive tool ($20), smoker ($70), veil ($20), jars or a small bucket, a few sheets of wax foundation and bees. I think you get my drift.
Oh and donāt forget the pancakes! ā¦ 
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Wow, that is a lot of money. Plus I always knew that I would need to find someone locally to learn the honey extraction and processing side of things.
Curious, if I were to go with traditional frames, are there people that extract the honey and wax and process it all for a fee?
Some local bee clubs will rent out or loan an extractor. However, if you have fewer than 4 hives (which you should when you start!), you can probably use the crush and strain method of extraction, which is cheap to do, although messy. Here is the basic kit for doing that, although you could make it yourself:
http://www.beethinking.com/collections/tools-and-equipment/products/bucket-strainer-system
You could also consider selling comb honey, which sells for a premium - then you donāt even extract it, just cut and box it.
My traditional hive is set up for comb honey, but I do have an extractor and a crush and strain bucket. The bucket I use if I just have a few frames to extract - it really isnāt worth the time and effort needed to clean up the centrifuge unless I am spinning at least a couple of supers of honey.
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Thats why I have a small tangential hand spinner. Itās nice to get the honey into a bucket still warm from the hive and there is very very little waste. Grandchildren like using it too and they canāt trash the frames
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Do you have a picture or an item link? I might be able to rope in the neighboursā 5 and 7 year old children, if I can get my hands on one for a reasonable price! 
I have a thorne 4 frame but mannlake do a 2 frame
http://www.mannlake.co.uk/beekeeping-supplies/category/page81.html
https://www.thorne.co.uk/honey-and-wax-processing/extraction/extractors?product_id=4847
Hi all
Just looking into bees as we to have any where I live that Iāve seen. Except one year. We get too hot during summer I believe. 40-55 Celsius during summer. I live in Leinster WA where the desert is closer than Perth is. Iād love to get some but at the moment not sure so Iāll do more research into it all.
Thanks Bree
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Hi everyone,
Iām totally new to beekeeping.
I live in Northern Beaches of Sydney and also have a 5 acre property in Northern NSW.
I have purchased 1 Flow Hive in the Indiegogo campaign and have just recently won another
one (thank you !).
Iām yet to get some Bees, join the local club and start.
Anyone in the local area who has Bees, Iād love to connect with you.
Congratulations to all who have gone with the flow and started to help the Bees thrive, I look forward to a longlasting friendship with you all.
Love and Blessings,
Peaches
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Howdy, Mr. Black Bull, we are here in Texas too, close to Austin. We have are Flow Hive and no bees yet, and we look forward to get started but are beginners.
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Hello,
My name is Chris, iām from Pennsylvania. Iām just starting to get into beekeeping. I donāt own anything quite yet, just looking to learn and gather information before proceeding. At the moment Iāve been trying to get in touch with people to find any clubs or mentors around my area to learn hands on or just to get valid information in person.
Hope to get to know some of you and learn what I can!
Welcome Chris. This forum is excellent. You will find some people in your state here, but you will also find many beekeepers all over the world with lots of knowledge to share. If you buy a Flow hive, general beekeeping knowledge is just as valuable and we have that too. All the best to you! 
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Hi Peaches,
I am not too far from the northern beaches. There is a great club in Terrey Hills which is going to be the closest to you, they would be a great place to start. They run beekeeping courses and field days. There is a field day at the bee site coming up on Sunday the 17th July. You just missed a great talk last month by Stuart Anderson, but we have a few Flow hivers in the club so youāll be most welcome.
Have a look at the their website and hook into some local beekeeping facebook groups to keep up to date.