Flow 2 Accessories (entrance reducer, etc)

Beekeeping - Basics
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Flow 2 Friends,

Is there a source for entrance reducers and other acessories compatible with Flow 2? I bought one for langstroth that does not fit my Flow…and do not want to repeat the experience.

Thank you.

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Many people use craft sticks or paint stirrers, glued together into a stack that just fits the entrance. Works just fine. :wink:

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Thank You. I thought to make something but am no expert. The Flow people suggested I put a stick in it. :grin:

Bill Baskin

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First season I used rolled paper wrapped in plastic stuffed in the entrance. Second season I made a proper reducer in two parts so I could change the opening in stages (but never did…). Given the original Flow has a tapered entrance I had to chamfer the wood; not sure if Flow2 retained the taper.

There are measurements in other threads for size etc. If you search you’ll probably find it…perhaps

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Yes Alan, Flow 2 has a tapered entrance.

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Flow hive classic is 11mm high at the outside and just over 9mm at the inside edge. I used a sander to shape my piece of wood. :wink:

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This might be an option Bill, and kills a few birds with one stone, an entrance reducer, a mouse and other unwanteds excluder, upside down allows air flow but holds the bees in and measures 10 3/4" and if you can hammer a tack you can fit it. Available at any bee store.
Cheers

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Thank you for the idea Peter.

Bill Baskin

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Exactly what I did. A cut down, thin, bamboo stake from the garden centre. Held in place with a stone. Works a treat.

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Get a thick foam from the mattress shop and stuff the entrance, the bees don’t seem to chew off this kind of material.

Alternatively, you can cut a piece of thin wood recycled from somewhere or buy a piece of off cut wood from the hardware shop then hand sand the edges to block the entrance.

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Thank you.

Bill Baskin

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Can you put a feeder in entrace if you turn it upside down from the way you have it now?

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I guess you could do that but if I ever had to feed it would be done with an extra box added and feeding done internally so there is no chance of triggering a robbing episode.
Cheers

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When I first began beekeeping I bought 2 entrance feeders, I used them for that season and was the only time I had a colony abscond which I put down to robbing as when opened, all the comb where the honey would have been had been chewed, presumably by robbers. I would not use them again. When I need to feed I feed internally. I really do hate feeding though but sometimes it’s necessary.

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Thanks for reply. Im new to bee keeping and this year will be my first with flow hive.

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When you want to boost a nuc along I suggest a 50/50 mix of water and sugar to make a syrup. Use a plastic jar and drill about 20 holes is the lid with a 1/16 drill bit. With the syrup in a jar and turned upside down there will be small droplets on the outside of the lid. Place it sitting on a couple of pieces of 1/4" wood sitting on the top of the brood frames and inside an empty super box. That is assuming you are not fitting a flow super onto the brood box until the colony needs the space. Refill with syrup when it is empty and do that for 6 weeks, often that is enough to get a fast really strong hive.
Cheers

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Thanks. Also have you ever added regular frames in an additional honey super with your flow frames in same hive above or below that.

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Generally the bees prefer the traditional frames over the plastic Fframes and will fill them first if given the oportunity. There is a simple fix for this, don’t give them an oportunity. :wink:
There are tricks to encourage bees to use the Fframes.

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What are these great tricks?

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You can search the forum using the tool at the upper right for ideas on how to encourage bees to use the Flow frames. However, some of my favorites include:

  1. Do not put the super on the hive until all frames have fully drawn comb, the comb is 80% full of food or brood and every frame is completely covered with bees.
  2. Only put the super on during a good nectar flow (not at the end of the season, unless you are subtropical and the season never really ends)
  3. Smear some burr comb from the hive over the Flow frame faces with a hive tool. The pheromones in the wax make the bees accept the plastic as part of the hive. Very simple to do and extremely effective.
  4. If you only have rendered wax, melt some and paint it onto the Flow frame faces
  5. Sing to your bees daily, the sound vibrations will encourage them to use the frames. OK, I made that one up. My little joke… :smile: :rofl:
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