Hello, do you happen to know if a too feeder would fit on a 8 frame flow hive.
I have an image below.
Thanks.
Yes if it’s an 8 frame sized feeder. Why are you feeding?
I transferred nuc into my flow hive and only assumed I need to because I was instructed to place a feeder on top of nuc??
Does it help boost a new colony?
Depends on whether they have anything to forage on, a strong nuc should be able to fend for itself if there’s food around.
Do they appear to be collecting nectar and pollen and have they made any progress since you transferred them?
How many frames was the nuc and are you using foundation?
Just wired, no foundation in the 4 empty ones I added.
The mix had 4 frames that where all quite heavy. But to be honest. I don’t know exactly what I was looking for. But all 4 frames where covered in bees and looked very full.
I haven’t looked again since moving them into the flow hive. I was trying to give them time to settle in?
They are very active and return with little bundlers of yellow on there legs.
I think we have quit a bit to keep them going so may not worry about the feeder.
Do you recommend a second brood box in Perth.
I can’t make any recommendations about the number of brood boxes you need where you are I’m in Sydney; are you anywhere near Perth?
When did you transfer them? Did you put all the nuc frames in the centre with the empties on either side?
If you aren’t using foundation then you really need to keep a close eye on them so they don’t build wonky combs. Is there any reason why you aren’t using foundation?
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I put the full frames together in the centre.
I didn’t use foundation because I had read different opinions on it.
And just thought to try with wire first. I can always change it.
If I lived in Aus I’d take advantage of the miticide-free wax supply for commercial foundation, and look for the small cell patterned type. That takes care of the two disadvantages to using foundation that I know of!
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I feed a nuc or a split with syrup till they are not taking it up, it helps the bees to produce wax faster for comb building. I also used full sheets of foundation with my wired frames to reduce the number of drone cells and wonky comb being made. Bees wax in Australia is clean of insecticides and disease compared to other countries at the moment so there is advantages in using it. If you really want to go without foundation then checker boarding them into the hive is an option to reduce the issues involved.
It depend where in WA you are, some areas need a second Brood box for a long cold Winter but other parts of WA a single brood hive is the way to go.
Cheers
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Just to clarify, when did you buy the nuc and when did you move them into the larger hive?
Also as mentioned our beeswax is still unadulterated and probably the best in the world.
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Hiya @eweyfam, a couple of points.
Wax foundation is the way to go in the brood box, this minimises cross comb and excessive drone cells.
Is the super on the hive?
As Stevo asks, when did you get the bug colony?
Yes that feeder, if 8 frame will fit on the 8 frame brood box however using an inverted jar with holes in the lid on the inner cover inside another body will be cheaper and just as effectively.
Many micro climates here in Perth so many aspects are site specific for example I’ve been in a dearth here yet friends down in the flatlands were harvesting at the same time.
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That one won’t as it states 10 frame and your asking about an 8 frame.
I think there is a company in the USA that makes 8 frame feeders but they don’t ship to UK so didn’t save the site.
Buy a medium super box and use it as an eke and use a rapid round feeder or a tub with some holes.
I’m hoping Flow introduce feeder products as a new addition. The market is there for sure.
I think I have my feeder problem solved. Thank you.
The man I saw today for advice recommended a second super.
To first fill brood box, then put standard langstroth super then when that is full add Flow Hive Super in between the brood and standard super?
So it would look like.
Brood, queen excluded, flow super, standard super. The standard super would be to leave for the bees as surplus food stores.
Can I ask you opinion on this theory?
Are you sure he didn’t mean a double brood box?
That would be two deep supers, then the queen excluder, then the flow super.
It’s not usual to sandwich the flow super between two other boxes, it is always the uppermost box.
Which shop did you go to out of interest?
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Thats what I thought, which is why i want to double check.
I confirmed with him multiple times about the sequence and yes, he definitely meant that way.
He said the double brood box is to large of a brood.
I went to Elite Bees
Feeling so overwhelmed with all the info tbh. So many conflicting ideas.
PS: how much should a hive tool cost me?
Well I’d probably go brood box, excluder, normal super then flow super but I’m sure someone else from Perth will comment.
A Chinese hive tool anywhere up to $15-20.
A thicker, made to last you a lifetime, Australian or American hive tool I’d say $25-35.
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If your in Perth some of the bee keepers there use a single brood box, some a single and a half brood and others a double brood box but my thinking would be to ask others in your area as to their set up. Maybe I would try a full and a half brood box as I doubt Perth gets that cold.
You probably have a dearth over the Winter so I understand the advice you have been given by the guy at the shop. The priority is stores for the bees and any surplus is for you. Bees normally store honey closest to the brood first then store further away as stores increases: so the brood, then the QX then a standard Langstroth for stores for the bees then to Flow Super on top for honey for you if they get that far. You should always have honey stored enough to get the bees thru a dearth.
Cheers
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The brood/Flow super/standard super sequence is precisely the way two of my hives are configured at the moment. I put the standard mediums on top of the Flow supers when they remained almost full and not quite capped for a couple of weeks during peak flow. @Dawn_SD had given this advice as a way to help the bees cope with humid weather, that was slowing down nectar curing. In no time flat, I had a Flow harvest.
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