I have three Langstroth hives and just received my Full Flow System.
Due to the drought, our nectar flow here is present but scant. The bees are building up honey slowly.
I’ve noticed that the bees work work from the center of the hives and go outward.
Could I take two Flow frames from my Full Flow box and set them in the center of the second deep in two of my hives and put the Full flow on my third hive? That way I’d have flow frames in three different hives.
Of course, when the frames in the non modified deeps are full, I’ll have to remove them to turn the key and extract.
Sounds like an option - I was going to do something similar - I have for a Full
Flow Box and a complete Flow Hive and I was going to split them over 3 hives - trouble is one is poly and the other is wood and I’m not sure I’m able to do the modifications - I’m no carpenter - so may be doing the same thing - let me know hoe you get on
Hi Gasdoc, I can see merit in having 4 flow frames in the center of a 10 frame Lang hive with 4 normal frames, 2 either side. With 4 flow frames in the center, you can remove the outside wax frames to lighten the super in order to do brood inspections. Also by removing the wax frames either side of the flow frames, you can see if the flow frames are fully capped or not. Also you’ll get an idea if there is any brood on the frames as well. I know your only looking at 2 of the 8 sides but it’s better than trying to get an idea by looking at the end view.
@gasdoc
In an 8 frame Lang and 2 Flows I think there will only be room for 5 Normal Frames.
In an 10 frame Lang and 2 Flows I think there will only be room for 7 Normal Frames
This is because the Flow frames are a little wider - for each 2 frames you lose one normal frame - Approximately!!
I think the only issue would be with the box as putting less flow frames in than it was built for would have huge openings for the bees to fly out of during the extraction process. Perhaps making custom boxes for just a few frames would work better?
I believe based on the flow lite product its 3 Flow and 2 regular frames on each side. Here is the pic from the website that space looks too big for 1 frame and too small for 3
I too have thought about doing this as I have enough for 3 hives but am now thinking to spread them amongst 7 hives.
If I did mix the flow hives with wired frames would I have to extract the honey manually?
Have just assembled 3 beehives, painted them and am waiting.
Hello. That sounds great @Rodderick. I am a total beginner, don’t even have bees yet. Have been learning about the various hives to decide which one would be best for me. I love the idea of honey on tap but I’d also like to have honey with the comb and lots of wax to use for crafts. I have learned a lot from this conversation and I am thinking maybe the way to go for me would be a flow light box with foundationless conventional frames on either side. Would this work? Many thanks
We have found putting Flow frames with traditional frames works great. “We called this Flow light.” In an 8 frame Langstroth deep box, 3 Flow frames fit with two traditional frames on each side (4 traditional frames in total). In a 10 frame Langstroth Deep, 4 Flow frames fit in the middle with two traditional frames on each side (4 traditional frames in total). There are instructions in the back of the user manual and videos of how to do the mods on honeyflow.com and our Flowhive facebook page. Send us some pictures of how you go!
I’ve been a big proponent of the Flow Hive and was an early purchaser for Flow Light - 4 frames between 4 traditional frames in a 10-frame box that I altered. I’m a second-year beekeeper.
I don’t know what’s happening, but the bees are extremely reluctant to work the Flow Frames. They prefer the plastic foundations from the start, and built comb. When I introduced fully-filled honey frames to encourage the bees to use the Flow Frames, they still ignored them. The only starters on the Flow frames have been when they are placed directly adjacent to an open-comb traditional frame. I so far have just a half-side of one Flow frame full of honey, even after trying melted wax, syrup, and a bit of honey in the Flow frames themselves. That’s after two months in the hive with a super-active colony. Really don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
Nothing Barry, just need to be patient. Your bees took to the plastic foundation as they didn’t have a choice, and when the bees no longer have a choice of where to store honey, they will start using the Flow frames. Its as simple as that. Give them time.
Hi!
Cedar, I’m looking at the reverse, Within my one and only Flow hive, I’ve seen the bees come and go into the Flow super, with no honey being made, and now I’ve just had a large swarm from the hive. A local beekeeper suggested moving some brood frames out to make room for the queen to keep laying. I’m then thinking to move 1-2 standard frames from brood to super, removing 1-2 flow frames to make space, and putting two new/empty standard frames in the brood box. Thoughts?
Hi Barry and Rodderick,
Barry, I’ve seen much the same as you, and now I’ve just had a large swarm leave my hive. Rodderick replied to you about being patient, but it seems that if the brood is full, and the bees will not use the super, then a swarm results. I’ve just replied to a similar post from Cedar, suggesting swapping in some standard frames from the brood to the super and replacing 1-2 flow frames, and then adding 1-2 empty standard frames into the brood box to give the remaining queen space to keep laying.
