Flow has its place up here … I’m actually in my 8th season up here. Some years my Flow has been crappy, sometimes fair to okay n some very good. But to be honest the 5 to 8 standard 10 frame Langstoft had just as much issues those season.
Now that I’m 77 years I’ve retired all but my three or four Flow 8 frame Cedar hives. They are lighter n easier to handle n lift. Ooooh ! In our cooler damper region we all use double deeps n then the honey supers or Flow-supers (same same) results …
So Anne … learn good beekeeping n Flow will work. I’d bet the keeper bad month the Flow product as never had one n only passing on third party prejudges n not up front truth. At my age n started with beekeeping back in 1957 I just let that B.S. roll off my back like rain on a ducks back.
Welcome Anne! What Alok, Dawn and Gerald said (especially about the duck’s back )
Plus I’d like to add that this is my 8th year of beekeeping and if the season provides this will be the 6th one that I can expect a harvest using my Flow gear. I owe so much to this forum and the positive, sensible members here for my success, and my failures have simply been part of a learning curve that has nothing to do with the equipment. Stay here, read lots, and enjoy setting up your beautiful Flow hive
I’m also a first timer in Seattle. Happy to band together. It does seem that most non-Flow hivers have a pretty strong negative reaction when you mention Flow, but no one has been able to give me a sensible response as to why. Seems like beekeeping is beekeeping, it’s just easier to extract honey this way.
Hi Jeff, I’ve been following the Flow hive since day 1. From my observations, it’s obvious that there is an issue with honey flooding at times, so therefore users find that it’s sometimes best to harvest in small increments, so as to spread the effect of the honey onto the brood over a longer period of time, rather than all at once.
There can be an issue of brood in the flow frames, if for some reason the queen makes her way into the honey super. If/when the occasion arises, it’s much simpler to deal with the situation with traditional hives. For starters, you always inspect traditional frames before harvest, so therefore we’ll always discover the brood in the frames.
On the subject of traditional frames: If a beekeeper uses the same frames for brood & honey, as I do, it’s a great convenience to be able to move frames from brood to honey & vise versa.
Hello everyone! Well, it looks like I’ll be getting a nuc very soon, my first ever. Question for the group: what did you pay for a nuc? I’ve seen a huge range from $50 - $300 and I’m curious about expected prices.
And a possibly dumb question: is it okay to not check on the bees for 1-2 weeks? I took an intro class and it sounded like some keepers are checking every couple of days but there may be times I can’t do that. thanks!
Hi Anne, congrats on soon becoming a bee mom Wow, that is a huge range. Prices around here got hiked quite a bit since I last bought a nuc about 5 years ago, they were $150-180 then and now I see them advertised for as high as $250. This depends on whether the bees were overwintered locally, if the queen is of special genetic stock such as ‘varroa sensitive hygiene’ or VSH - bees in this strain will remove brood with varroa mites attached, so these are pricier.
After installing a nuc, I would wait a week to 10 days before checking on them. I’m not sure of any good reason for more frequently than 1 week, unless you had to go back and fix something that went wrong the first time and you didn’t have time then.
Hi PNW Flow Hivers! I just installed my very first nuc today. I’ll be honest that it was very scary and I was certainly not as calm as the YouTube video experts appear to be. I was so focused on transferring the heavy frames and not dropping them that I didn’t inspect them. I also don’t really know what I’m looking for. Apparently my queen is marked but I didn’t take the time to find her. My bee supplier was very surprised that I’m using foundation-less frames (as recommended by Flow Hive) but I’m doing it anyway.
Question: when is a good time to inspect them again?
I’m also wondering if any more seasoned experts can recommend a local class. I’ve joined the PNW Beekeepers Association; however, they don’t seem to offer regular in-person classes right now, only online. Or, would any Seattle-area experts want to host an hour-long in-person lesson for new-bees? Thanks! anne
I’m also wondering what you all use as a sugar water feeder? The Hive Flow entrance looks different from others and wondering if you can recommend a particular model or design. Thanks!
Hi Anne! I’m a first year, so I’m only a month or two ahead of you. I check my hive (inspection where I pull out frames) about once every 3-4 weeks—I’m mostly checking that there’s brood / larva and the queen is doing well, and to check for signs of pests or unnatural things.
As for getting a lesson—I’m probably not the right person to do a training, but the puget sound beekeeper association has mentors for each area, and so you might join then find your local mentor and ask them for advice.
When are other PNW beekeepers planning to harvest their honey? The blackberry flow is coming to an end—are you harvesting now, or waiting till closer to autumn?
on a ducks 
back.
(especially about the duck’s back 
)
Wow, that is a huge range. Prices around here got hiked quite a bit since I last bought a nuc about 5 years ago, they were $150-180 then and now I see them advertised for as high as $250. This depends on whether the bees were overwintered locally, if the queen is of special genetic stock such as ‘varroa sensitive hygiene’ or VSH - bees in this strain will remove brood with varroa mites attached, so these are pricier.
just a tip for ya - only share your contact info in PMs so the bots that occasionally show up here don’t find it 