Introducing a wild hive into a flow hive--least trauma

Hi JeffH.

Very funny, and quite sweet!

You know, bees are very good at math/geometry/chemistry; all directly relate to music.

I mean, CO2 is everywhere, arguably in different concentrations… but?

Were you singing off-key? ;-)))))

The middle example is pulled from another bee forum, the other two are mine.

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Thanks Kim, yes I probably was singing off key. I’ll try singing in tune next time to see what happens. I have a falsetto voice. I’ll try baritone tomorrow, I’ll let you know the results:)

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That “support” is known as foundation. If you don’t use it, you are going “foundationless”.

The Flow frames only crack the comb in the Flow super box, not in the lower brood box. I don’t understand your confusion, sorry.

Each frame has its own drain built in. There is a 2.5cm (1") cap at the bottom of the frame. You remove it and insert a drainage tube before turning the Flow key. Very easy.

Did you rubber band the comb into frames? Did you put them into a standard Langstroth hive?

RBK,

Those are excellent show n tell example of getting a wild swarm n erratic natural comb framed n hived !! Thank you for this exquisite example for us brain-dead NewBees !

Cheers,
Gerald

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;-))) I love it! Hey, I hear the Paris Grand Opera has an opening for a baritone!

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Hi Dawn, and all,

I don’t know how to respond like you’re doing… and please let me know if my sharing is inappropriate for this group.

The Flow hive system will arrive April 14. I’m quite sure I’ll be able to put everything–conceptually, as well as physically.

This morning I went back to the home where I collected the colony yesterday. Quick collection, zero stings (I was calm, organized, and quick.) Installation (about 200 +/- bees. No big deal.

I have an ant problem now. So I trimmed the tree above them (some branches touching the compost bin) and cleaned the ants up… sprayed soap around where the ants were moving. I was wearing protection (forgot to smoke), but the bees are absolutely fine. Great little group.

This compost bin will go away when the new Flow Hive arrives–and I WILL have professional help. Ants… dang it. I have “Tangle Foot” but decided to try soap for a bit.

Right now, I am ‘suiting-up’ if I need to work on the hive directly. They seem to be so incredibly calm, and the ONLY reason I got stung yesterday was because I was an idiot. New bees, no songs, wearing black, and bumped a few because I was moving too fast without thinking.

Yesterday I took a double-dose of antihistamine, and did the same thing this morning.

I believe I have had either four or five stings in my entire life. This is different. Today, the capillaries in my arm are breaking and blood is pooling at the crook of my arm. (looks like a very dark bruise.) I added Ibuprofen, and now ice to cool the inflammation. The sting on my finger isn’t quite as dramatic, but still remarkable–my entire hand is envolved.

I may have crossed into the ‘YOU do not EVER want to be stung again’ category, which bumms me a bit.

A couple of kids from my neighborhood and I were observing/talking about the bees today–maybe 3’ away. The bees were absolutely fine.

My current thinking is that if I need to do something in the back yard, it’s probably fine, but anything working with the hive should probably require full gear.

I am sad about this, but it’s probably true.

Thanks for the tip:) I think I’ll stick with my off key melodies. cheers:)

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Update: Ants seem to be gone!? (Wow, they were a nemesis before–did I really ever give simple soap a try? Humm?

Ice and massaging my hand/arm, a nap, lots of water. Much better, but a real flag about being careful.

On the ant issue, I sprayed soap twice today, wearing black, no protection, my voice… all is well. I think we just got off on the wrong foot.

I also recognize that I need to be much more mindful. The ONLY reason you ever get bit/stung by any creature is MY FAULT for not acknowledging/recognizing/honoring that situation.

Love the middle photo. :smile:

Hi Kim, I work for Flow and I moderate the forum.
I don’t get involved in specific beekeeping questions - because that is not my field. I leave it up to all the experienced beekeepers on the forum to give their advice and feedback in regards to specific beekeeping questions, aka your topic- introducing a wild hive into a Flow Hive.
We can give advice about the Flow Frames - how they work, etc.
We provide some basic beekeeping help on our website in the form of faqs and our Beginner beekeeping videos -
https://www.honeyflow.com/gallery-videos/beginner-beekeeping-videos/p/192
We have setup this community forum - so that people can get beekeeping help on here.
We also recommend people join their local bee club, or get a mentor, etc.

We are selling a product that helps with the harvesting of the honey - the Flow Frames are a way of harvesting honey.
https://www.honeyflow.com/about-flow/how-flow-works/p/62

Everything else about the Flow Hive is the same as a normal beehive - there is a brood box, baseboard, roof, and super.
The only difference is there are Flow Frames are in the super and not standard frames.
We often refer people to the Community Forum for beekeeping questions - because then they can get beekeeping advice from people who may live in their area, and a wide variety of opinions in general.
There is a well know saying, for every beekeeper there are 3 different opinions.
One beekeeper will say use foundationless, another will say use foundation, another will use wires.
It’s all up to the individual and what they feel is best for them.
The more “natural” foundationless frames in the brood box is only one opinion of Cedar and Stu - that’s what they like to do, and some others… you can read about foundationless here -
https://www.honeyflow.com/blog/foundationless-fabulousness/p/164#a2

Other beekeepers, and especially on this forum recommend other ways - and that is okay too. It’s best to read a lot, watch a lot, and feel what is best for you.
Maybe if you joined a local bee club, you can get some hands on experience with all the different opions and then see what you like.

In regards to painting or varnishing your hive, etc - that is another thing that caries from beekeeper to beekeeper.
It also depends if you have pine or cedar.
You will see a lot of different options on this forum if you do a search.

Here is an example of doing a search with “paint” - http://forum.honeyflow.com/search?q=paint%20
You will see it has been discussed at great length all the different options, and what works for different people.

We have the beekeeping basics section on the forum which has a lot of different topics about starting a hive - http://forum.honeyflow.com/c/beekeeping-basics

We also have our swarm and bee catching section - specifically for answering questions like your topic. I will move this post to that area, as it is not a Flow Hive specific topic - but a general beekeeping topic -
http://forum.honeyflow.com/c/swarms-bee-catching

You have got some great links and advice from really good beekeepers in this post about how to manage that wild hive.

Let me know if you need any more Flow Frames specific advice :bee:

https://www.honeyflow.com/resources/welcome-to-beekeeping-with-flow/p/247

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Thanks for those photos. I really like the step by step procedure you have done on your website.
Very handy to get an idea of how to do it.