Mesh screen on top of flow hives, which way?

That looks like a fake flow hive to me. Correct me if I’m wrong.

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I agree with @JeffH. Sorry about that @Skorpyoqueen. :face_with_monocle:

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Today my mentor took an order for a colony to go into a “Flow Hive”. Wilma told him what he needed to bring. Brood box, brood frames, bottom board & crown board. Wilma brought the phone to me saying he doesn’t have a crown board, however he has a frames covered in mesh. Straight away I told him “you have a fake flow hive!!!”. I told him he probably also has a bamboo QE. He said “yes”.

It would be interesting to know if those bamboo QEs are any good or not. Just out of interest. Not that I want to use them.

I’m with @JeffH looks like a Chinese copy, but I could be wrong. It certainly does not look like a genuine Flowhive. Cheers, G

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Hi George, you’re definitely not wrong. They don’t come with frames for the brood or a crown board. They come with that mesh screen which is only handy to give ventilation when transporting the bees while they’re locked up. Plus they come with the bamboo QE. The difference in the landing pad is obvious.

The upside is the lower capital expenditure which I understand because not every new beekeeper continues with the hobby. This current fake flow hive I’m supplying bees to as well as the previous 2 were gifted to the owners. The owners had no say in the purchase.

It is definately a fake Chinese look alike, and one of the worst copies I have seen. Note all the knots in the timber. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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yep- it’s a knock off. I have seen these before. The frames are no good either- and the hive bodies are not much chop. I would lose the screen- and consider losing the fake flow frames too. Way more trouble than they are worth. it’s not worth keeping bees well only to have the frames malfunction…