First harvest of honey now bees are not filling combs

Flow Hive
1

Hi,
I harvested my first batch in July and now they haven’t produced any more honey to date. Since I am new at this does anyone know what the problem might bee ?

2

The flow is over: Store the honey super and Flow frames until next Spring and let the bees put any fall flow into the brood nest for winter survival. Take action on the Varroa mites.

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3

Ensure you store the super correctly to minimise issues with pests during winter.

4

I have had the same issue and I am not sure WHY they are not refilling. This is my third year as a bee keeper with FLOWHIVE but my first ever harvest (lots of start up issues) …so I am happy to have had one harvest
for sure, but according to a lovely youtube video a second should be easily accomplished…any ideas? I DID close the cells in case you wonder. Thanks

5

Where in the world are you? Impossible to answer without knowing that. :blush:

Please add it to your profile too, it really helps. :wink:

6

i am in south central kentucky

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I can see that you are @bobs, but @ASweet has not enlightened us about location. I agree with @Anon’s comment, there is very little nectar flow right now in most of the US. There are some exceptions, but it is highly likely that the season is over for the year in Kentucky. Time to do your winter preparations and get the bees down into 2 brood boxes with no super. :wink:

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8

question ? how do i get the flow frames out when the bees have moved into the attic of the hive

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Hopefully you have an inner cover below the gabled roof. If so, lift it off with the roof. You can then remove the Flow frames and their super.

You will also need to clean up the roof though. I actually cover that hole in the inner cover with hardware cloth or a thin tile, so that my bees can’t do that. It makes a sticky mess. You can scrape the comb off over a kitchen strainer above a bowl. Then crush and strain to save the honey if you want. Messy, but tasty. :blush:

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10

Thank you for this great info.One more…do I need to add another brood box for food storage and additional housing ?

11

Too late at this time of year. However I would expect that most beekeepers in Kentucky use double brood boxes for overwintering. I would ask your local bee club. If they agree (don’t mention Flow hive, just call it a Langstroth), add the second brood box in Spring once the bees are actively foraging again, and fill it before you add the Flow super.

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thanks again! i will check with another bee keeper on the other side

of town. i live in a cabin on the cumberland river and no one around has bees. i will check tomorrow. bye.

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13

I don’t know how close you are to @Martha in Nashville, but she certainly uses double brood boxes, if I recall correctly. If you don’t have double brood, you just have to monitor carefully over winter by “hefting” the hives (lift up one side and guess the weight). If it is starting to feel quite light, you need to feed them. They will need careful watching in early spring too. As the numbers of bees build up, they will go through their stores very fast until the nectar really starts flowing again.

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14

I’m 10 miles south of Nashville and I use 2 8 frame brood boxes. Beekeepers in Kentucky do as well. Even 10 frame advocates use 2 brood boxes to over winter.

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15

Your bees will only store honey when there is a flow of nectar and the bees are collecting more than their needs. It seems that there has been a dearth and a lot of very hot weather though most of the US. You should check with other bee keepers in your area to see how they are faring.
Regards

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I’m still feeding as golden rod isn’t in bloom yet