The plastic used for the frames

Hi, been awhile since I did the beekeeping thing. But what is BT ? Thanks for the nite on rotation n care of frames.

Bacillus thuringiensis
Marketed as Certan here in UK

Hi Jake, I would think that getting a test battery run on honey after extraction from the FlowFrames would go a very long way to putting this topic to rest?

I have used Piergo plastic foundation/frames for many years and have noted no ill impact on the bees and they take to the Piergo (food grade plastic) the same as widely used wax foundation frames.

Is there any plan to send off honey samples to be tested for plastic contamination? I would really appreciate that information so I could cite those test results when giving a presentation.

Thank you for all of your efforts.

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Hi, My local bee keeper obviously does like the flow, and his strongest agument is that the plastic frames in the split cell technology in flow will become brittle and brake over time. Is this correct?
-How strong is the plastic?
-Should I go against his word and get a flow hive, will he still support me as a member with the hive?
-should I get wax foundation frames or foundationless?
-can I still start a bee hive in summer instead of spring.

Sorry about all the questions.

Tom

The plastic will become brittle if you mistreat it. It doesn’t do well in direct sunlight, and radiation (for AFB treatment) will make it brittle too. However, Cedar and Stu (inventors) have frames which are 3 or 4 years old, and they are still working absolutely fine. So I don’t think your beekeeper has a strong point.

Only you can answer that - we don’t know him! :wink: However, one possibility is just to tell him that you want help managing bees in an 8-frame Langstroth hive. The Flow hive is just a standard 8-frame Langstroth with a different way of harvesting. Everything else about taking care of the bees is the same as in any traditional hive. You will need to get the bees established in a brood box before you put the super on anyway, and that can take anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on your climate. If you are getting two hives, why not get one of each - one Flow and one normal Langstroth. Surely he will support you with the standard Lang. :smile:

I think foundationless can be very tricky for beginners. I would advise starting with foundation, and progress to foundationless once you have experience in handling the frames and bees.

It will depend on your local climate, and when the best nectar flow happens. Here in southern California, the flow is mostly over by late May, unless we get some out of season rain. In summer, new hives would struggle and probably would need to be fed. In some subtropical climates, there is good nectar flow year round, so starting in summer is fine. I would ask your local beekeeping guy what he thinks for your climate and forage availability.

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Adding to Dawns comments - https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/are-the-flow-frames-made-from-bpa-free-plastic/p/57
Brittelness can come from UV light (keep Flow Frames out of sunlight) and gamma rays (used for sterilisation, but at least you don’t have to burn them) - https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/flow-frame-sterilisation-irradiation-disease-control/p/145

As Dawn says. You will be starting off your hive just like any other hive - with your brood box, so you can just get help setting that up, and once it’s all full of bees, brood, honey, you can add your super, which will be a Flow Super instead or a regular super.

https://www.honeyflow.com/blog/begginer-beekeeping-with-a-flow-hive/p/200

Well my comment differs to Dawns, because Cedar and Flow in general recommend foundationless, but it’s up to you.
Here is some links to info about foundationless beekeeping -
https://www.honeyflow.com/blog/foundationless-fabulousness/p/164

The standard frames we supply with the Flow Hive come with the options of adding wire, your own foundation or going foundationless. The Brood Frames that we provide come with a comb guide - the little strip of timber that can be attached to the top of the frame - the bees naturally build off this with no problem. (of course that’s up to debate :wink: )

Don’t know. I’d ask your local beekeeper or bee club. Or see what others on the forum do who are local to you.

Thanks dawn and Faroe I really appreciate the replys.

Is it worth selling the honey I get if I only have 2 bee hives? Will i Make enough to sell?

Depends on the floral activity and nectar flows in your area. I see you live near the Gold Coast, the climate is good for bees year round so you shouldn’t have any issues. I am in metro Sydney and started selling honey at a farmers market with only two hives, my hives are producing in excess of 100kg of honey a year, but I have had some good years and kept the beetle at bay when other beekeepers lost half their hives. So it all depends.