Thanks Peter, you are probably correct, the girls with their mum will sort it all out when they are ready. I shall do the things people have suggested and then sit back and wait.
They mesmerise me everyday with their comings and goings. That might have to be enough here until they are ready. Thanks for all the suggestions and support.
Thanks for the support. Shall leave them to it for a while and see.
Hi Dawn, thanks for drawing attention to my photos. On reflection, we should have taken the photos from an angle. That would have shown the high & low points more clearly. Photos are good because in these photos you can clearly see how my bees left gaps in the top corners, Iām guessing to aid them with air circulation.
Also you can see potential for the bees to store a lot more honey. A question that was recently asked. We think theyāre full, however the bees manage to fit more in.
Hi Fiona,
It looks like there is a bit of debris at your leak-back gap.
This may be blocking the honey from flowing to where the bees will be able to lick it up.
Itās true the bees will take care of any honey that runs down there from cells that arenāt sealed correctly, but the leak-back gap needs to be cleared so the bees can get to the honey.
p.15 of the user manual: (it is also mentioned a few other times throughout the manual) https://www.honeyflow.com/media/docs/Flow_Hive_Instruction_Manual_WEB_290517.pdf
You also mentioned the propolis. I remember reading that when propolis is used instead of wax the bees may be experiencing a low nectar flow. (I think thatās what it was). I wonder if there is enough food around for your bees at the moment?
This is how the cells should look like when they are all sealed up with wax:
You can just stick your Flow Tube into the end of the channel and it should clear any blockages. Or you can try turning the cap around with your fingers of pliers and see if that will clear the leak-back gap so that you donāt have to open it.
I hope that works for you, and the bees are then able to clear up any honey.
And then of course that the bees are able to seal up all the little gaps properly so that no honey flows down the channel before you harvest.
The other thing you can check is your Flow Frame wire tension. If they are a little loose you can tighten them which will bring all the parts of the Flow Frame closer together.
Please let us know how you go after clearing those leak-back gaps.
Hi Faroe, thanks for that advice, I shall give them a clean as soon as the weather is a little better, we have thunderstorms due together with the 35 degree heat. The girls seem a little agitated today, maybe the electricity in the air. How long should I give them to clear it up and to see if it still leaks before trying to tighten the wires on the frames? Fiona
I clear my leak back slots with the blade of a small screwdriver and push the wax well in. If the slot is open a build up of honey in the chamber simply canāt happen. The bees will slurp up the honey till the chamber is dry, Iām thinking a day or two. Before your next extraction clear the slot, I donāt rely on the draining tube to do the job, and you wonāt have a build up of honey again.
Cheers
Hi Fareo, Just giving an update on my leaking problem. I did give the leak-back gaps, they were completely blocked. As soon as they were cleared I could see little tongues licking up the honey. They are still clear a week later. I also opened and checked the frames, 6 fully capped which I harvested the next day and got 14kg out. All just in time cause its meant to be rainy here for the next week or so.
Thank you again and others in the forum for your help and suggestions.
HI Fiona,
That is great news Iām glad that little tip worked, and you were then able to get a good harvest before the rain hit. This lack of rain is like unrequited love. Promises, promises, but it never comes Big build up today and only about 30 minutes of rain in The Channon (northern rivers NSW).