Africanised Bees and the Flow hive

Good Day Guys,
Does anyone here have experience with Africanised bees and the Flow Hive? This is the dominant species in Trinidad and we have been having challenges regarding production.

I am brand new to the game and I am trying to work as smart as I can.
JUST came off a one week training session and I am VERY excited to get started.

Thanks in advance.

Roger

Several of us, especially in Texas, have encountered Africanized bees in our hives. You should read the thread “Do I have a Hot hive?” on this forum. In his response, a poster included a pretty good video of what working with those bees is like. You’ll, also, read the description of my encounter with them and how I decided to destroy the hive.

Is there a way to get a non-Africanized nuc in Trinidad for you to start? I’ve kept bees for many years and I’d quickly be out of the hobby if I had to regularly deal with those hyper-mean bees. Not fun!

Thanks for the response Psyched123. Its the dominant strain in Trinidad so I really dont have a choice. Thanks for the heads up Re: Do I have a Hot hive as well as your description.

I recently attended a course and all the hives were African bees and they managed just fine.
Will keep posting to let you guys know how it worked out.

Thanks again.

1 Like

That,

I commend you for moving ahead n checking out Africanized n the Flow-hive. I live way North in the US near Seattle … none of those aggressive honey-makers here yet. But your n others experiences would be helpful n welcome should that happen in my life time.

I’ve worked with a few nasty ones thru the years but know they were African. That was back in the 1950’s n 60’s so way too early for them up here. Just bees that got out of bed on the wrong side I guess.

Good luck n keep us informed,

Gerald

Africanized bees swarm late in the season and don’t put up enough stores to make it through long winters. So, most experts don’t think they’ll make it north past Nebraska. However, global warming will probably change their northern border quite a bit.

Hello 123,

At 72 yrs old … I’m not worried about those aggressive African Bees or Glibal warming too much ! It was 27.5 dgs out by my bees this morning so not a bee nose in sight !

. Sun came up at this Wx station data entre n temp up a degree F.
Keep Warm,

Gerald

Hi I’m in th UK but will hopefully return to Trinidad in a couple years where I plan to incorporate bees into a permaculture farm design.

ThatTrini have you been able to get your apiary started and have you been able to integrate the flow hive system? If yes what has been your experience thus far?

Good Morning, your timing is incredible. After months of inactivity I finally started again last week. Hoping to set up within the next ten days. I am changing things up a bit however. I have been hearing reports that the FLOWHIVE is not working with Africanised bees. So I am going to start with an ordinary hive and once I get it working gradually introduce my colony to the FLOWHIVE. Will be building out my frames and getting everything ready to go within the next 48. Will let you know how it pans out.

So glad to hear you are on the cusp of your bee adventure I look forward to your updates :slightly_smiling_face:

Regarding the flow hive, may I ask where you have been getting reports? Are they from bee keepers who have tried it in the Caribbean? I came across a short news clip of it being used in Brazil, it looked promising. I am finding it difficult to find first hand reviews on the flow hive from those with africanised bees :confused: I’m thinking the initial cost unfortunately is proving prohibitive for most local bee keepers.

Good Morning all. Yes I did hear from a couple people who tried it right here in Trinidad. They were not very successful.
I think it had something to do with the bees not being too keen about the plastic and building out the hive in a horizontal as opposed to vertical pattern.
Strange stuff. However, I think I can probably go about things a little differently. Sometimes it takes someone completely unfamiliar with a problem to find the solution.
I think I can be thatguy!!!

Regarding those who are using it in Brazil, do you have anyone I can talk to? Thanks.

Regarding Brazil, sorry no i don’t know anyone you can speak to, I just saw a clip on youtube.

I was in Trinidad last month and met someone who had a flow hive, they received it near the end of the dry season so no success yet, but they plan to put them on early next dry season, if they have any success I’ll feed the info back to you :slight_smile: