# Overwintering flow frames **URL:** \ **Category:** Wintering your Flow Hive\ **Tags:** horizontal\ **Created:** [February 10, 2022, 1:32pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393 "2022-02-10T13:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 1:32pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/1 "2022-02-10T13:32:24Z")
Hi all. Just a quick question, is it ok to overwinter the flow frames in a long langstroth with a board in front so the bees can’t access them? ---
**Author:** ![HappyHibee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/happyhibee/32/27808_2.png) [@HappyHibee](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/HappyHibee)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/2 "2022-02-10T15:10:57Z")
No reason not to its just simulating a container. Wax moth might be an issue or SHB if you have it. ---
**Author:** ![Outbeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Outbeck](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Outbeck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/3 "2022-02-10T22:57:17Z")
Hi Karby, I’m attempting to share a link with you to another post (never done it before): > [@Perth (WA, AU) Flowhives and honey flow](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/perth-wa-au-flowhives-and-honey-flow/8608/1648): > > Now that I have all the frames drawn I don’t actively manage the brood area/space for spring/autumn. In spring they have eaten through space for the queen to lay out to 16-20 frames. My first flows they thenfill the flow frames and backfill te end frames with nectar honey. On good years I’ll get a harvest or two. I then have a dearth from early December to late Jan and that creates more space for the queen to lay. If the Marri is a good flow they’ll then fill anything that is free and I harvest.… Hey I think it worked! This may give you a couple of ideas depending on your climate, but I’m assuming it’s warmer than mine. PS. I’d love to see a pic/pics of your setup if it’s up and running! ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/4 "2022-02-11T07:00:05Z")
Uploading: 82CFC5A7-0A55-4B32-B7FE-98680BDB42D5.jpeg… Uploading: 96939051-4165-469F-AAFF-84AFE0A93013.jpeg… Processing: B6178F07-F480-4577-A4A1-90A11D95BDF4.jpeg… Uploading: B1FDA4D4-9E33-4415-8A36-EBBA5B34B180.jpeg… Uploading: F321B38E-614A-4202-9584-DD462BEE85D6.jpeg… I haven’t quite finished yet and probably won’t be able to populate it until next spring. ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/5 "2022-02-11T07:00:59Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/4/a/4adcf2df370ea953a67c30073cd6e9254ce35a77.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 7:02am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/6 "2022-02-11T07:02:24Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/2/3/2381639d7a3fd46034fd0ea4b335f9d5432fa50d.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/1/5/1510495b5171274c1cc50e114575e9fc1dae2a9f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 7:03am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/7 "2022-02-11T07:03:44Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/8/5/851e5c09ba8b411f2cba9733deb5ea2a2b1a9f31.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 7:08am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/8 "2022-02-11T07:08:24Z")
The last picture shows the front. I’ve got 3 holes for the main entrance and if you look towards the other end, you can see a black dot. This was a natural hole in the wood and is right next to the flow frames. I don’t know if it is big enough or whether the bees will make it bigger or propolise it. ---
**Author:** ![Outbeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Outbeck](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Outbeck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/9 "2022-02-11T23:24:35Z")
Nice work Karby! It’s looking terrific! What’s the setup between the flow frame section and the brood area? I can just make out what looks like a dummy/follower board with a hole in it? I ended up transferring in a whole 8 frame brood box last spring (rather than a nuc) and it worked well. I’m still nutting out what to do with it over winter. I’m thinking of making aslide-in escape board to slot in where the QX is, so I can take the flow frames out. Keep us HFH fans posted with your progress. ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/10 "2022-02-12T05:58:57Z")
I made 1 follower, that is the one with the two handles on it. I’m thinking of making another to use like Phil Chandler does in his TBH. Leaving a space in one end, making it easier to get the first frame out. The other will be to determine box size. ---
**Author:** ![Eva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@Eva](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Eva)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 8:15am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/11 "2022-09-20T08:15:00Z")
Love your HFH Kristal! It’s so elegant and I want one 🥹 How has it been going? ---
**Author:** ![Karby](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/karby/32/25892_2.png) [@Karby](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Karby)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/overwintering-flow-frames/32393/12 "2022-09-20T22:47:42Z")
So far, so good. They made it through winter and with the quick check I did the other day, that hive seems to be the strongest. I’m not sure when bees swarm in my area, but I didn’t find any swarm cells and I think it’s still too cold. I’m happy with their progress and enjoy watching their flights on warm days with low wind chill.