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606

Hello Rodderick
This morning on the cor-flute that is under my second Flow Hive, there were 15 Small Hive Beetles. This was a result of the bees corralling the beetles down stairs and they fall through the wire floor. This was the second day the bees had been in that Flow Hive so after adjusting to this Flow Hive started to do their house cleaning. At this stage the corflute is close to the wire and as the bees adjust more to the configuration it will be moved down to the lower slots.

My original Flow Hive now only occasionally expels a SHB via the wire floor. They have been housed in that one 3 months ago. Like you I had tried lots of things to control the beetle, but was unhappy with the outcomes. By cleaning the pull out corflute every morning I know what is happening in the hives on a daily basis. I see the colour of the various pollens going in. Some wax caps that have been removed, water/honey and of course bee dirt, that have dropped through the wire floor. Iā€™m sure this can only improve the hygiene of the hive.

Good luck with yours.
Pam

1 Like
607

Hello again
I noticed that my first Flow Hive on the first day expelled 16 SHB and my second Flow Hive has already expelled 15 SHB. Iā€™m looking forward to the second hive expelling even more if they are in there as the total of 31 have been pushed out by the first hive over a period of time.
Hooroo
Pam
P.S. On a cheerful note, I had put the top box of the Flow Hive on top of my standard 8 frame hive at the beginning of spring waiting for a warmer day to transfer the whole hive, now 2 brood boxes and a super. While doing this the top box was too heavy for me to lift, so I moved the Flow Frames individually and whoopee the bees had been filling and capping these. None of the frames were completely filled ready for extraction but should be soon.
Bye
Pam

1 Like
608

Hi
I am John from Lawson NSW in the beautiful Blue Mountains. I recently got my first nut of bees and have had the brood box up and running. On my last inspection noticed that my 8 frame brood box is about 70% with the outside frames still having room. I have just added the 8 frame flow super.
My brother has a few years experience with 28 hives, which occupy a lot of his time in Murray Beach. I help him from time to time with harvesting, but he is not using the flow hive system at this stage. He is my teacher and has taught me lots this last year and at present I only have 1 hive which I hope to split sometime next year and start a second one.

Here is a picture of my present setup.

ant_cap.jpg507Ɨ659 144 KB

1 Like
609

Gā€™day I go by the user name 3cav 84A which I will never forget as it was my call sign when I was in Vietnam with 3 cav. I was among the first lot to order a Flow Hive but I had to wait a long time for it so I bought a nuc and a 10 frame normal type hive so I could get the gist of what bee keeping is all about. I live in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia I wonā€™t say which town as our Council forbids bees being kept in the non rural areas. Well the can shove it I have had 2 hives now for over a year now and even my neighbours donā€™t know I have them. I find it very relaxing to sit in front of the hives in the evening just checking out all the different coloured pollens they bring home. My main hive went well over winter and was bursting at the seams when I inspected it in early spring, they swarmed on me and then swarmed again 9 days later, it is a learning curve for me.

610

Hi John
Iā€™m from Winmalee and also have the Flow hives. You must be VERY patient with the flow super, Iā€™ve had mine on a double brood box which is bursting with bees for about 3 weeks now. From day 1 of installing my flow super, I have always had thousands of bees working the flow super and only yesterday, after looking through the inspection window on the outer frame, noticed that they are finally sealing the gap of the split plastic combs with wax.

Iā€™d be happy to get my first flow extraction after 6 weeks of having the super on. I would suspect that it may take you longer because of the cooler climate up the mountain.

How long has it been taking flowhive owners in the first year before they can do their first extraction ?

For a real hands on total bee experience, should consider coming down to one of our Nepean Beekeeper Association meetings held at Emu Plains High school on the second Sunday of the month. Plenty of people from up your way attend.

611

Hi
Thank you for your email.
I used to live in WINMALEE for 32 years and 18 months ago we sold as we were offered a great price which I could not refuse.
We used to live at 219 Hawkesbury road and as the house was to big for 2 people decided to live at Lawson which around 4 degrees cooler but much quieterā€¦ no traffic noise.

I attended the Nepean beekeeping group a few times but found they wanted nothing to do with Flowhive. As my brother at Murray beach has 28 hives and I help him all the time with harvesting I have gained heaps of experience from him.
I only want to have 2 hives for personal enjoyment as we love our garden and the bees make such a huge difference in it.
Flowhive is new and I like new ideas, so down the track I hope to convert my brother to Flowhive.
I only got my nuc mid Oct so the brood box is very active and the outside frames are still being filled. They are just starting to seal the flow frames with wax and I had to help them with getting some wax and rubbing this on the flow frames. It seems to be workingā€¦time will tell.
Maybe we can meet up some time and discuss notes.
Anyway nice of you to email me.

Look forward to stay in touch.

Regards
John Hendriks
hendriks1944@gmail.com

612

New to beekeeping as a result of my 3 year old sons passion for outdoors and nature. Went to visit a local beekeeper last week and my so loved it so much that with the beekeepers help we will be setting up a flow hive and see where the passion leads

2 Likes
613

Hi all,
Iā€™m Peter from Melbourne. Keeping bees has been an idea of mine for a few years now and now we have a family hive. My brother bought the flow hive, Iā€™ve done a beekeeping course and the hive is located on my sister in laws farm so it is really a family concern.
The hive is just a few weeks old now and the girls are starting to fill out the rest of the brood frames nicely and they are investigating both their hive and new home.
We are looking forward to our first harvest next year.

2 Likes
614

Hi my name is Nigel form Mount Cotton in Queensland. I Received my flow hive for Christmas :+1::smile:
Last bee keeping experience I had was with my fathers two hives as a kidā€¦ I remember the mess with the centrifuge and comb knifes etcā€¦cranky bees too.
I have been watching Flow since the start. So excited to have my own hive to startā€¦
We will be moving soon so I may have to wait a while to get my beesā€¦

Happy new year everyoneā€‹:tada::tada:

615

Good advise John. My FH super has been on for some time now. the las time I checked it I had several frames with sealed honey in the shape of the brood with empty cells surrounding it. I look through the viewing end every day to see if the outside closest to the extracting end have been filled but not as yet. Always heaps of bees in the FH super except when it is cold. I am on the South Coast NSW. I am suspecting the harvest will happen all at once. My other FH super on the first hive I re-housed is very slow. So different bees work at different rates.

Like most other Flow Hive owners I am getting so excited to harvest. By the way there is a lot of foolish opposition that is usually unfounded. Iā€™m just so glad I can continue bee keeping (now about 40 years experience) because the FH has made it so much easier for me.

On another rote I clean the bottom board every morning to kill any SHB and to monitor what is happening in the hive.
Happy bee keeping
Pam

616

Hi, Iā€™m from Prospect in Adelaide, South Australia. Iā€™ve been following the Flowhive story from itā€™s inception and finally ordered the hoop pine classic kit in time for Christmas as a present to myself.
I put it all together on Boxing day and am waiting for my wife to let me put the hive in the garden! There seems to be an irrational fear of bees amongst the community. In the meantime Iā€™m reading up as much as possible on the forum and have attended a one day course in beekeeping run by a member of the Beekeepers Association.
Would love to know if there is a Flowhiver in and around my suburb.

1 Like
617

Lucky you! Your are in for some fun this year with your bees!

There are a few of us in and around Adelaide. Iā€™m out at Willunga. You can check out this thread if you havenā€™t done so already, Connecting with other Adelaide bee keepers and see the folks from around Adelaide.

Good luck!

618

Thank you for the link to Adelaideans!
It looks like my wife will definitely not have the hive in our backyard. My daughter lives in McLaren Vale and has no problems with bees. So I guess the hive will be housed there.
I donā€™t have the bees yet as Iā€™m not that confident I know all the ropes.
I would love to see a flow hive in action. If anyone is keen to help Iā€™m game enough to travel anywhere.

Regards
Romeo

619

Hello from Maryland in the USA! I will be taking an introduction to beekeeping class for each of the four Sundays in January, so I am a total noob. I am hoping to get my first hive when we buy a house next year. Mostly I want bees because I am concerned with the state a bees in America. But I would love to have beekeeping be a self-sustaining enterprise with some extra honey in my kitchen. Great to meet you all!

1 Like
620

Hi Patricia,
Iā€™m currently in Hagerstown, hoping to move to Western Frederick county. Whereabouts are you?

621

Hi Tiffany,

Iā€™m between Annapolis & Baltimore. Iā€™m in my third year of beekeeping & have 3 hives at the moment.
Hope you can start beekeeping soon. Enjoy the classes & read all you can! Itā€™s a challenge but interesting & fun too!

~Patricia

622

What would you suggest as the most helpful book you have read so far for a beginner?

623

If I had to pick just one, it would be Beekeeping for Dummies. It is far from perfect, but it has all of the essentials in an easy-to-follow style. It is very much a practical ā€œhow-toā€ guide.

For a bit more understanding of bee biology, I like The Beekeeperā€™s Handbook by Sammataro:
http://tinyurl.com/hhd7ok5

Finally, to understand how colonies make choices, and get an insight into the ā€œhive mindā€, this book is outstanding and will help you become a better beekeeper. Honey Bee Democracy by Thomas Seeley:
http://tinyurl.com/hbgurq8

For more advanced concepts, Michael Bushā€™s books and web site are fascinating. He insists that his writing is aimed at novices too, but I think it is easier to understand once you have some basic knowledge and/or experience.

624

Thank you so much!

          Dawn_SD
          

          January 4

Tiffany_Santos:most helpful book you have read so far for a beginner?

If I had to pick just one, it would be Beekeeping for Dummies. It is far from perfect, but it has all of the essentials in an easy-to-follow style. It is very much a practical ā€œhow-toā€ guide.

For a bit more understanding of bee biology, I like The Beekeeperā€™s Handbook by Sammataro:
http://tinyurl.com/hhd7ok5

www.amazon.com

Robot Check

Finally, to understand how colonies make choices, and get an insight into the ā€œhive mindā€, this book is outstanding and will help you become a better beekeeper. Honey Bee Democracy by Thomas Seeley:
http://tinyurl.com/hbgurq8

www.amazon.com

Robot Check

For more advanced concepts, Michael Bushā€™s books and web site are fascinating. He insists that his writing is aimed at novices too, but I think it is easier to understand once you have some basic knowledge and/or experience.

Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.

In Reply To



  
    
      
        
          
        
        
          Tiffany_Santos
          

          January 4
        
      
    
  


  What would you suggest as the most helpful book you have read so far for a beginner?





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          Tiffany_Santos
          

          January 4
        
      
    
  


  What would you suggest as the most helpful book you have read so far for a beginner?




  


  
    
      
        
          
        
        
          PaintedProse
          

          January 4

Hi Tiffany,

Iā€™m between Annapolis & Baltimore. Iā€™m in my third year of beekeeping & have 3 hives at the moment.
Hope you can start beekeeping soon. Enjoy the classes & read all you can! Itā€™s a challenge but interesting & fun too!

~Patricia

          Tiffany_Santos
          

          January 3
        
      
    
  


  Hi Patricia,

Iā€™m currently in Hagerstown, hoping to move to Western Frederick county. Whereabouts are you?

          Tiffany_Santos
          

          January 3
        
      
    
  


  Hello from Maryland in the USA! I will be taking an introduction to beekeeping class for each of the four Sundays in January, so I am a total noob. I am hoping to get my first hive when we buy a house next year. Mostly I want bees because I am concerned with the state a bees in America. But I would love to have beekeeping be a self-sustaining enterprise with some extra honey in my kitchen. Great to meet you all!




  


  
    
      
        
          
        
        
          Romeo_c
          

          January 1

Thank you for the link to Adelaideans!
It looks like my wife will definitely not have the hive in our backyard. My daughter lives in McLaren Vale and has no problems with bees. So I guess the hive will be housed there.
I donā€™t have the bees yet as Iā€™m not that confident I know all the ropes.
I would love to see a flow hive in action. If anyone is keen to help Iā€™m game enough to travel anywhere.

Regards
Romeo

Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.

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625

~Patricia


http://oakdalecircle.blogspot.com/