That can be part of the reason, there is also the occasional problem of honey seeping through the wax cappings when the key is turned. I have noticed it a couple of times now however it is less of an issue after a couple of harvests. Honey seeps out of the small fissures of the cappings when the cells are offset and runs down the outside of the frames. I now harvest in the cool of the evenings just in case and although a little honey seeps down it is no longer a concern.
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Hi Peter. Because not all us flowhive owners necessarily inpect inside before a harvest we sometimes forget that the frames may not be fully capped even though they look full from the rear. Not every cell is capped so we always do small increments at a time and never let the horizontal tube be more than 75% full so the majority of the honey gets out.
We put the core flute in the top slot and check it occasionally as we harvest. Most times nothing there but better to find out early that you may be flooding the hive. A quick peak in the flow super a week before tapping it ensures the majority of the frame is capped. The bees sometimes leave space for broad in the flow frames even though the queen can’t get there.
I have learnt from more experienced bee keepers like yourself and now I understand some of the limitations of the flow frames. We still love the concept and hope to see it continue to evolve.
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@Gaz It is a brilliant concept and kinder to the bees with a lot less stress for them and for me to be honest.
I plan on making up to five hives all with Flow Hive supers.
Regards
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