# Spill & flow frames in winter **URL:** \ **Category:** Beekeeping - Basics\ **Created:** [April 20, 2022, 9:55am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774 "2022-04-20T09:55:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Waldats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Waldats](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Waldats)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 9:55am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/1 "2022-04-20T09:55:33Z")
Hi there!! Last weekend we had a late & partial harvest, which was exciting as it was our first one, it was soo goood!! But by the time we finished I found out some spill at the bottom of the hive…Is that common? Has honey flowed through the brood box? Are bees going to clean-up the brood box? Second bit, what do you suggest about the unharvested flow frames? They are nearly full and almost fully capped…Have I to Harvest, let them clean up and then store frames over winter? I am willing to let bees eating their honey rather than feeding them with sugar syrup… Pictures attached!! Thank you for all your feedbacks!! Cheers… ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/c/1/c1c3dc6908ca9ac8fd68f46b91629a452c7c3acb.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/honeyflow/original/3X/d/0/d015ba5d9f3ad91f06a755760850939cb096673c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![chau06](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/chau06/32/25515_2.png) [@chau06](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/chau06)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/2 "2022-04-20T12:22:23Z")
> [@Waldats](#): > > Is that common? Has honey flowed through the brood box? Are bees going to clean-up the brood box? Pretty common. Next time see if opening frames incrementally and giving extra drainage time helps. The bees will clean up the spill. > [@Waldats](#): > > what do you suggest about the unharvested flow frames? They are nearly full and almost fully capped…Have I to Harvest, let them clean up and then store frames over winter? Harvest and let the bees clean up before storing the frames. If the honey isn’t quite ripe you can consume quickly or freeze. ---
**Author:** ![Nathan\_Brisbane](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/nathan_brisbane/32/24750_2.png) [@Nathan\_Brisbane](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Nathan_Brisbane)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/3 "2022-04-20T14:33:26Z")
I’ve been opening mine in stages, could I check how you do yours? Is it 1/3, 1/3, 1/3? I’ve been doing mine about 10% at a time, but I think that’s a bit conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Waldats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Waldats](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Waldats)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/4 "2022-04-20T14:46:19Z")
Hi Nathan!! Yes I opened in stages as well, I would say 20/25%, as I took me 4/5 stages to crack open the frame… ---
**Author:** ![chau06](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/chau06/32/25515_2.png) [@chau06](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/chau06)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/5 "2022-04-20T15:44:31Z")
I have my key marked in quarters but I find that the center frames sometime have an arc of unfilled cells so sometimes I do 1/4-1/2-1/4. ---
**Author:** ![skeggley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/skeggley/32/27522_2.png) [@skeggley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/skeggley)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 4:08pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/6 "2022-04-20T16:08:27Z")
Hi mate, congratulations on your harvest. Did you open the 25% then wait 15 mins before the next 25%? And how many kegs did you get from each frame? Yes harvest all frames and let the bees clean up before removing the super for winter or remove the frames and freeze to kill moth eggs then store in a moth proof container in a cool area. HTH. ---
**Author:** ![Waldats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Waldats](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Waldats)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/7 "2022-04-20T16:59:45Z")
Hi Skeggley!! Thanks!! We managed 7 x250gr jars and 3x 500gr from 2 frames (I suspect the second frame still got a bit of arc, you reckon it as the honey is more yellowish)…I didn’t know to wait for 15mins between turns…thanks!! Super quick ones…how do you give back the honey to the bees? Pure or diluted in water? Last what about standard hive supers during winter?? On/off and what about the frames?? Same as the flow hive? Cheers!! ---
**Author:** ![skeggley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/skeggley/32/27522_2.png) [@skeggley](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/skeggley)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/spill-flow-frames-in-winter/32774/8 "2022-04-21T00:21:10Z")
If the Flow tube fills to the top without an air gap the bottom channel in the Fframe appears to build up back pressure and can overflow into the brood area. This is not good of course especially if it drowns the queen. Hopefully this will not be your case. Yes the bees will clean it up. Extract the last frame and test it’s water content (wc), just because it’s not all capped doesn’t mean that on average the wc won’t be above 18% and even if it is you can keep it in the fridge and use it for personal use, cooking or my favourite, mead. If you must feed use sugar, don’t waste the honey.😉 2.5 Kg per frame is standard in my books. Traditional hive beekeepers remove their supers over winter and pack down their colony’s. The smaller the area the easier it is to maintain conditions and the stronger they will enter spring.