Few days ago, (Sydney’s spring time) while pulling out the bottom cap for first extraction, the honey run out as if we haven’t retract the frame to its full closed configuration. This happened to 3 out of 6 frames.
If anybody have a good idea how to prevent these honey gushing out than please advise.
The other question, which is not related to the above topic, could I put 2 brood boxes under a Flow box? I tried it before and the result was that for a year the Flow box wasn’t populated by bees. I tried to consult with Cedar’s colleagues but got conflicting advises.
I’m unable to help with the flow frames, however in relation to one or two brood boxes, I’m a fan of single brood boxes up here on the Sunshine Coast. I find one brood box easier to manage than two. @Rodderick is closer to you. He’ll be able to advise you on what he does, as well as knowledge as to what others down your way are doing.
cheers
More than likely the bees just hadn’t sealed the gaps in the cells properly, it happens sometimes with new Flow frames. My suggestion is to drain that honey and use it for something else like cooking as it could be mostly nectar and high in water content. You should be right the next time round, if not then get back in contact as there may be some other issue with your Flow frames. After draining fully, pull them all out and inspect closely to ensure all the cells are lining up when in the closed position.
Lots of folks do it, and it is really a climatic decision, I personally don’t have an issue with it as some beekeepers swear by this method in our climate. For me, tried it and didn’t like it. Too much work and not a lot of honey. Sydney is split between the 2 brood box of SA and Victoria and the rest of the country, so many here just cannot decide and go for 2 as the default thinking it will swarm less. But even that is a myth. My colleague beekeepers who do go to 2 brood boxes all report the same thing in spring that the queen moves up to the top brood and leaves the bottom one empty where the bees begin to backfill with nectar and it never makes it up into the Flow frames. I’m with @JeffH on this one. This is from my personal experience, no harm in experimenting,
On the upside I may add that I “invented” a stand for the Flow hive which enable me to tilt the hive backward (about 7 degrees) when extracting honey. If anyone is interested than I’ll send pics
Hey Amos,
Just to throw my methods into the mix…
I run mostly poly hives (all ten frame) and only one brood box on these. For my eight frame flow I run a single brood from about May to September, but insert a second brood box in spring (this year I did it 2 weeks ago as the hive was choc-o-bloc with bees!). They draw out the second box so quickly it’s not funny. I had a look yesterday and there is honey going into the flow frames.
Hiya Amos, welcome to the forum.
Like you all my Flow frames are on a forward tilt until extraction although my tilt back method isn’t as elaborate as yours! I have found that honey will leak into the trough and as the Flow hive has a base that tilts to the back this leak goes unnoticed as it flows to the rear drain plug where the bees can access it through the small opening as designed. Periodically or a day before harvest I find tilting the hive to drain position, if the hive is tilted forward, will allow the bees to clean up the honey in the trough pre harvest provided the bees haven’t propolised the small opening into the hive.
