Hi so I am harvesting my first honey right now. As soon as I removed the top key access cover, three bees came straight to my face. Got stung too as I wasn’t wearing my suit (it is 39C today).
Is this normal? I can’t find from where they came out, no obvious gaps that I can so have to look further when I do an inspection.
Hi @BooBees, Do your frames fit tight along the aluminium strip at the bottom ?
Also there are 2 plastic strips on each side, are the frames tight against the plastic strips ?
Last, have you adjusted the screws at the top of each frame (rear) so that the frames sit as far forward, to the access key end.
I initially had the same problems, bees getting out, until I made the adjustments, now all good.
See how you go with that.
Cheers, G
Thank you George.
We do not have any plastic strips on the side. They are not coming from the sides though, the bees came from the centre of the top opening. I just can’t see from where. I don’t have any recollection adjusting any screws, didn’t know we had to do that.
So, the frames have to be pushed as back as possible? It might be they are coming from between the frame and the rear panel of the box. Having said that, the frames sit tight on that aluminium strip so I don’t know how they have access.
The frame is still draining, and I just had another look. There is a bit of a frenzy at the back with a lot of bees attracted to the smell of honey coming from the hive. I tightly covered my honey container and draining tube with a plastic bag and rubber bands so I won’t attract bees there.
I saw a bee come out from between the top of the frame and the crown board. I took a photo and I can clearly see a gap big enough for bees to come out.
The plastic strips @George_Perth is talking about keeps the frames shoulder to shoulder and I have heard from others that they weren’t supplied for some reason in the kit. A paddle pop stick can be glues in place and do the job. The adjusting screw is to hold the frame firm to the rear, remove each frame and you will find a Phillips screw at the opposite end to the key end, screw it out till there is a 1mm gap to the front edge of the box with the frame hard against the other end. The bees will fill in any remaining gap.
The frames are shoulder to shoulder with no gaps on the sides. There are wooden strips on each side, not plastic.
On the plus side, this is my first 2749 grams of honey.
So far, I can’t see any debris or wax at all, just very clear honey.
So if you adjust the end screws the bees won’t get there. Wonder why they did away with the plastic strips in favor of wood, maybe more environmentally friendly?
If I just push the frames back as far as they go it should be ok too right? Just to avoid having the screw sticking out.
Nice one Boo, typical late summer colour.
I drained a hybrid yesterday, same colour honey.
Last month the bees had no interest in me at the back, this month definitely excited them when they get a whiff of honey…, a telling sign they’re scratching for food with sparse flowering flora. Less food means they will start reducing their numbers.
No, the frames aren’t shoulder to shoulder at the back, the screws on the back won’t do anything to stop the leaking bee issue.
Planning on taking the super off for winter?
Side strips would seem to be the concern, yes…also I wondered if you’re using the supplied Flow roof as a lid or a different one? Wasn’t sure if there could be a fit issue in the latter case.
…just remembered I had to scrounge up some extra material to add to the supplied strips I installed, because my Ffs still weren’t shoulder to shoulder 
Hi skeggley why do you say they are not shoulder to shoulder? I must be missing something.
The frames cannot move sideways and there are no gaps between frames or on the sides. The only gap I see is that on top between those frames and inner cover.
We were thinking of leaving the rest of the frames of honey for the bees.
Hi Eva Thanks. The supplied roof blew away one day when it was very windy and we have a similar third part one because it was half the price of Flow. I don’t think the issue is the roof though. It’s more the crown board or frame position
Oh that’s too bad! We had some high winds here yesterday in fact, have to go collect all the yard items that got strewn everywhere today!
Crown board, maybe needs to be pushed closer to the back edge? Still puzzled as to how bees are coming through from inside, if the frames are tight together.
How are your stings? 
I have a throbbing ear Eva. 
The crown board seems to be in place and I’m very careful to place all boxes and parts perfectly aligned on top of each other.
I have to open it up and check what’s wrong.
This was a super bought when they were discounted last year and it was a bit of false economy. It had so many things that needed shaving and fixing to be usable and I think there is something still wrong with it.
So sorry, that’s no fun…if you don’t have one yet, one thing that’s well worth the money is the Bite Away pen:
Aah, my bad, ok I see what you’re saying now looking at a larger screen. Forget what I said then. 
Maybe they aren’t pushed forward enough, the lid should cover that.
I don’t use the Flow lid either just a standard migratory lid so no crown board either.
BooBees can you take a picture of your full FlowHive.
Is it a copy of from Flow?
No you want the frames as far to the front and the adjustable screws are designed to do that.
It’s in the instruction manual hence why I’ve asked if you have an authentic of copy Flow Hive BooBee.
Same for the plastic side packer strips as these are standard on an authentic FlowHive
Hi dean boobees is my son. We bought it from the flow website I’m sure it is authentic. Last year they were selling super boxes slightly discounted because they had some minor defects like tight fi her joints but this one really bad. When assembled it was wobbly because the panels are are not all exactly the same height and not even perfectly square. So it had be sanded a lot.
Another problem it had was that once the flow frames were placed inside and the crown board on top, the flow frames sat too high and the crown board was resting on the flow frames instead on the wooden sides of the super so there was a gap on two sides between the crown board and wooden sides of the box. We had to sand back the back top side where the frames rest so they can sit lower in the box. It was a lot of work not worth the few dollars saved. I think this problem is related to that.
Seriously? If the frames are not held to the harvest end of the box bees can get into that area as it plainly seen in @BooBees pics. The screws are on the frames to position the frame hard against the harvest end of the box. If that wasn’t important then I would have to wonder why the screws are fitted.
