Long Lang with Flow Frames

Thanks a million Adam. I will me giving this some serious consideration.

@AdamMaskew when you were doing your research did you ever come across anyone that has a two queen setup in a Long Lang? I’ve only been able to find one post on a different forum from back in 2016.

1 Like

I’ve seen a manufacturer in NSW, I think, who has two queens either end of a long Lang with flow frames in the center. There is some chatter on the FB LL group of people running two queens. I’m just not sure of the benefit. My queens will lay up all of the frames in my LL in spring summer ~20-24 frames.

Only benefit I can see (here in Oz) is a possible pseudo second hive

It would need to be much longer than what I make. Given the standard is between 24-30 frames. Double that would be over 2m. Becomes hard to place and expensive to build.

I do have the ability to creat a nuc in mine for a short period. I put a second Nuc disc, thinking a second entry maybe useful. I haven’t used it for either purpose a few years in.

2 Likes

Are you assuming a physical non penetrative separation between the colonies? I was thinking a two queen colony with a shared Super space. In that setup wouldn’t your Long Lang then only need to be another 8 or 10 frames long, at most?

Either or. It is still longer than easily available wood lengths.

This is the double setup I mentioned above

Can I see a clearer photo of your entrance?

Hi there, welcome aboard. I didn’t take one on this hive. This photo shows the entrances on my last. The slot is the equivalent to an 8f width and 10mm in height. It slopes up into the hive so that water will not run into the hive the slope is 10mm over 45mm. It has a small ā€œlanding stripā€ that allows me to put a mouse guard on. (Not installed in this photo)

The second entrance is 40mm and slopes up into the hive too and I use a nuc disc to control what happens.

I hope that shows and explains it enough. If not let me know what you are chasing and I’ll see if I can get a photo or explain it.

Adam

1 Like

Hello Adam, I hope you do not mind pinching your ideas, because I’ve been noting all your details and planning on making one myself. Eventually.

May I ask what is that cone on the front centre of the lid, different from the other two vents? Also with your thick walls, can a whole metal queen excluder slide in without being cut to size?

Hi Adam, I wanted to ask you a question about the bee entry so close to the fence. I have read just recently that the entry should be clear and at least 1 and a half to 2 meters from a structure. Are you finding any issues with having it close to a structure or in your opinion is it no biggie? Thanks TT

Hello and welcome to the Flow forum!

I am sorry, but that is absolutely not true. I have had many hives within 50cm of a 6ft high fence. No problem in my hands at all. I think @JeffH frequently has hive with entrances which are less than 10cm from the walls of a building (and facing towards the building). Bees are very adaptable. If you give them a nice location, they will thrive even if there is something in front of the entrance. It just isn’t a big deal. :blush:

4 Likes

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for the reply. That is good to know because the best location I found in my backyard which has the morning sun and shade from the midday and arvo sun is 1 metre in front of a garden shed.

Welcome, as @Dawn_SD said there is no problems at all. I actually prefer to have them close to a vertical structure to push them up and make sure the guard bees can not see humans, pets or wildlife and become defensive.

1 Like

None are really of my design just ones that I have adopted to suit how I want to manage a LL. The cone is a bee escape so any bees trapped under the lid can get out. With the thick walls I can accommodate the length of the queen excluder with slots. I do have to cut the width down to fit it under the cover boards. Does that make sense?

1 Like

cheers for that Adam. I am going to build a LL like yours. Would you happen to have measurements or plans for your LL hive somewhere in the forums I can look for?

No I haven’t committed plans to paper really as it depends on your wood thickness. Below are my rabbet cuts and over all lid design. I just model the flow frame area of a super I had or diagrams/videos on the flow site. I’ve been threatening to draw something up but just havent got there.

Ops can’t upload my side cut becuase it is a pdf. I’ll get to a computer and create a .jpg and upload.

2 Likes

cheers for that Adam.

@Tee.Tee that distance for clearance is certainly not correct. At a guess it would seem you’re referring to flight path clearances to avoid issues with bees.

Edit: from memory, published advice in Qld is, in the event of a nuisance hive, for the hive entrance to be placed close (5-10cm?) to 2.1m solid barrier to force the bees up and lift the flight path above people/passer-bys.

At least I think it was advice from Qld… It was one of the Australian states anyways…

thanks SnowflakeHoney