My flow super was added about a month ago

Flow Hive
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I have an established langstroth hive, in March of this year, I added my second super. Then in April I added my Flow hive, it is now the middle of May, and the bees have yet to start working the flow. they are working on the east side of the flow. Have I jumped the gun? There in the middle of the rose garden, with wild flowers and the nectar flow is amazing … I would think they would be actively working the flow already :frowning:

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Hey Cindy @CD43 - based on my reading of others’ experience with the Flow frames & expertise beekeeping, the two things that come to my mind are:

  1. Did you rub/roll some beeswax onto your Flow frames? People seem to have better success getting the bees interested in them if they don’t take to them right away, when they do that and/or spray the frames with sugar water. There’s a great & very detailed thread called How to Encourage your Bees to Use the Flow Frames…

  2. Lots of flowers, great - but not much rain means not much nectar. Could that be an issue in your area recently?

Im sure you’ll get loads more info & I hope that helps in the meantime :sweat_smile:

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I agree with what @Eva wrote, but I also note that you say:

I presume you mean second brood box? If so, how did it look at your last inspection? Fully drawn, 80% full of food or brood and every frame covered with bees? If not, the bees will not use the Flow super until that is the case. In San Diego, it takes my bees several months to completely fill a new brood box. Your nectar flow may be different, but perhaps that gives you an idea.

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Thank You @Eva , I do think there has been substantial rain, but perhaps adding some feeders would be a good idea, I do have 3 hives, the honey flow being the newest!, I am considering rubbing with some left over beeswax from last years harvest :slight_smile:

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Thank You @Dawn_SD to be honest with you, I did not pull the frames to look (I know, I know), I’m kicking myself for not doing that, I just assumed everything was alright because the first brood box was so healthy, I added the second and assumed I had given them enough time :flushed:

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If you’re going to put sugar syrup in the feeders make sure to take the Flow super off the hives, otherwise you’ll harvest sugar syrup honey :open_mouth:

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@Anon Thank You, I just read that, and had never heard that before!
:blush:

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He is absolutely right. You should never, ever feed once you have a harvesting super in place. :blush:

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Hi,

My dear mom, (I know she rest in peace) often said, assumption is the mother of all screw-ups ! We do learn a lot of things including those screwups. Yourve gotten some great input here. I enjoy reading as many of these treads n notes as I can. Often I pickup some great ideas n warning … I don’t need to venture down some trails others have tried n lost on … Once again I’ve been able to fortify one thing here. Don’t feed with Any Honey Frames on unless your wanting diluted fake Honey ! I know that but it’s great to be reminded. At near 72 yrs often I scratch my head wondering what that string around my finger means. :wink:.

Cheers all,
Gerald.

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