I have 8 frame deep and med both of which are full of bees and honey and I plan to add the flow frames (6) this Saturday and I have read that not using a queen excluder for the first couple of weeks was a good idea. So I have to ask if this is a common practice? Also, a guy that seems to be very well read on his bees told me it might be too late in the summer to add the flow super, what does he mean? I’m in north ga. Thank you.
Chet, we’re in a minor dearth right now up here in N GA. All that’s really plentiful is the white clover and rapeseed (canola) if you have pastures near you.
The next next nectar flow to hit around here isn’t until around June 10th or so. That’s when the Sourwood (Sorrel) begins to bloom here in the foothills. Later at higher elevations.
You might have some thistles, hollies, sumacs, basswood, catalpa, persimmon, blackgum, mimosa, Queen Annes’s Lace, daisies, or even poison ivy blooming in June/July near you if your familiar with what’s nearby and there is just GOBS of it then you might could add the Flow Frames.
If the goldenrod doesn’t come in in the fall because of weather and you robbed the light summer nectar flow…the bees will have to be fed all winter long.
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I need to add that Sourwood is not a sure bet at all.
I hear that a good flow hits once a decade or so…
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“robbed the light summer nectar flow” - does this mean harvesting the honey from the flow frames?
G’day Chet, if the bees have honey above the brood in the middle frames of the top super, chances are you’ll be safe to add the other super without a QX. If the bees have brood right up to the top bars of those frames, I think I’d be inclined to use a QX. Also if your using foundationless frames, the hive has probably made enough drones to keep it happy. Chances are the bees will only use the flow frames for honey, without a QX. I hope that all makes sense. Good luck with that, cheers
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