Hi all,
So excited about the flow hive. This year I caught a swarm and purchased a nuc, so I’m ready. I hail from California where we need bees and water too.
cstandley
Where are you in CA, I am in Lompoc on the central coast.
I’m in the San Jose area
Here in SF myself ; -) I expect Californian beeks to lead the way in adopting the flow hive!
I’m halfway between San Francisco and Palo Alto right off of 280. My bees forage Hillsborough gardens, the Eucalyptus trees off Skyline and, I hope, the Crystal Springs Reservoir.
Second year keeping bees, now with three hives.
Just finished assembling my Full Flow and wondering which hive gets it.
Hi Doc,
I confess to having a tiny hate on for all you earlybirds! I won’t see mine until December. Last week I had the unusual experience of sweeping a swarm up off the sidewalk a block from my home in the Mission and then having to send it off to another beek in Sacramento since my hive isn’t here yet. Sorry I didn’t know about you, I would have called you!
The good news is you can keep us posted on how it goes with the flow so we learn from your pioneering foray!
Hi Cstandly. Just waiting for my bees this week. I’ve been stressing over where to put my bees on my property. Trying to get the hive ‘square’. Are you using the flow hive? How is it going? Are the bees producing straight comb?
I’m a newbee in East Foothills of San Jose. Got my Flow Hive a couple months ago. Took me almost a month to put it together. My name is Karen…I got my bees this week, 4/16. Installed them on Tuesday morning. Thought I had killed the queen, but didn’t. Released her from the cage on Wednesday. Just checked the hive today (Sunday)and I have lots of beautiful comb, but I don’t see any evidence of a queen laying…
I’ll give it another week before I bother them again. But I’m a little worried about my queen…
Hi Karen, Congrats on installing your bees! I got mine last night and moved them in this morning. Pretty exciting after such a long wait, huh?
I know what you mean about ‘squaring’ the hive. It seemed like it took forever mucking around with the bricks and the dirt to get them all flat in all directions.
I wasn’t able to locate my queen while I was moving them in, but I did spot brood and larvae, so If she isn’t there for some reason I know they can raise a queen up.
Queens are canny and hard to find sometimes. she is prolly there and just being shy ; -)
Thanks Sara. Good luck with yours. How would they raise a queen without anything laying?
So far it all looks like empty comb…
They wouldn’t in the case of no eggs. My swarm had been in a nuc about 2 weeks, so while I didn’t see the queen I know that the hive is ok.
Your Queen is prolly there even if you didn’t see her. If she isn’t and you don’t have any eggs or larvae then you could be in a spot. But she in all likelihood in there and getting settled. In a week or so when you check you will prolly find brood and all will be well.
Hello, I am in Loomis CA, near Roseville CA. Welcome to the forum.