@KSJ Karen the most common mistake made is to add a super or the flow hive too early. Doing so can cause the have to become weak, because it hadn’t reached close to full capacity, thus becoming a weak hive opens it up to diseases, rests, and getting robbed by bees from other bees from else where.
I didn’t get my FH2 setup until mid November 2020, and I’ve been advised by the beekeeper (whom I bought my started pack of bees from), to wait until Spring to put the flow hive on.@Peter48 and @JeffH I’m sure that they can help you further.
@Buzzing-bees as I am a newbie to having bees in Canberra, could I ask what others do for their hives over the winter? Do you feed them? Insulation? I have only had the bees since December 2020, so they are still building and filling out the brood box.
@KSJ, Karen considering how much colder it is in Canberra to the Wagga Wagga region, your colder weather will start sooner, so I’d advise that you don’t add the flow hive until next Spring. As advised by my bee supplier to me, for now just get yourself and your hive ready for the coming winter.
Ermm, not wanting to be pedantic here, but to avoid confusion the “Flow hive” is the whole thing from the bottom board to the roof. If you are adding something, it would be the Flow “super”, not the hive…
OK, I will shut up now, sorry!
@Dawn_SD yes agreed - I did use the words brood box or flow honey super in my original post
I still would like some advice on overwintering - feeding, insulation and what others are using? Thanks
@Dawn_SD, no comment as I just might go mad. How about flow box, can we agree on that???
Hi new beek in Canberra, is there anyone on this forum located in Canberra? I am looking for some advice on opening up a hive to inspect in winter. Should I do this in winter or not? If so, how regularly should I do this? Many thanks, Karen