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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We are constantly adding more Flow™ FAQs to our website here, please check that for the latest information / questions on Flow Hive.
What is a Flow™ Hive?
A Flow™ Hive is what we call our complete beehive containing containing a brood box and Flow™ Super (Our Flow™ Hives come with a roof and screened bottom board). We may also refer to any beehive with at least one brood box and one or more Flow™ Supers for honey storage and harvest as a Flow™ Hive. A honeybee hive is usually made up of two boxes; the brood box where the queen bee lays eggs, and the ‘super’ with honeycomb for the storage of honey. A ‘Flow™ Super’ is a beehive box using Flow™ Frames that the bees store honey in.
What are Flow™ Frames?
“Flow™” is the name of our new invention that allows honey to be harvested directly from the hive without opening the hive and with little disturbance to the bees. The Flow™ frames are the beehive frames that make this possible.
How do the Flow™ Frames work?
The Flow™ Frame consists of already partly formed honeycomb cells. The bees complete the comb with their wax, fill the cells with honey and cap the cells as usual. When you turn the Flow™ Key, the cells split vertically inside the comb forming channels, allowing the honey to flow down to a sealed trough at the base of the frame and out of the hive a bit like a tap, while the bees are practically undisturbed on the comb surface.
When the honey has finished draining, you turn the Flow™ Key again in the upper slot which resets the comb into the original position. The bees then sense the comb is empty, chew the wax capping away, and start to fill it with honey again.
How do I stop the bees getting to the honey while it's draining out of the Flow™ Hive?
Quite often we can drain the honey out without the bees even noticing us at the back of the hive, but sometimes they do and you will need to cover the jars, or better still, make a sealed system. This can be achieved by simply making a hole in the lid of a jar for a tube to go into.
If you are using a bucket, you can put many holes through the lid of the bucket or make up a manifold.
Do the bees willingly fill the Flow™ Frames compared to traditional wax foundation?
In many years of testing we have found the bees readily wax up and fill the Flow™ Frames. We have done quite a few experiments putting Flow™ Frames in the middle of a standard supers with wax foundation frames either side. The bees have shown no preference either way and readily start building on, and filling the Flow frames at the same time as the traditional ones.
How long does it take before I can drain the honey from the Flow™ Hive?
This depends on the amount of nectar available for the bees and how strong the colony is. We have had Flow™ Supers that have filled in a week during peak times of the flowering season, however, a super usually fills well within a month during the spring and summer here.
How long does it take for the honey to drain out?
Anything from twenty minutes to over two hours depending on the temperature and the viscosity of the honey. It is even OK to leave it draining overnight (if it is secure from nocturnal animals). When you have finished draining the honey remember to return the frames to ‘cell closed’ position so that the bees can seal the broken cells and recommence filling them with more honey. We have designed it so the Flow™ Key cap only fits when the cells are in the closed position.
How much honey comes out of a Flow™ Hive?
About 2.5-3 kg per frame (5.5-6.5lbs), more if the bees really build each frame out. If you have seven frames in your Flow™ Super, then you can expect to harvest at least 20 kg (45 lbs) when every frame is full.
Can the Flow™ Frames come out of the super like standard frames do?
Yes. This is important for inspections and because this is how most hives in the world work. However, there is no need for this in the normal operations of extracting honey.
What extra equipment will I need to keep bees and get the honey?
You will need to open the hive to inspect it for health as usual, which you need a bee suit, smoker and hive tool for. You will need containers to collect your honey.
If you are new to beekeeping, you should link up with an experienced beekeeper or join Flow™ Hives beekeeping forum to learn how to care for your bees.
How do I know when to harvest the Flow™ Frames?
The ends of the Flow™ Frames are visible by taking the cover off one end of the Flow™ Super. It is worth having a look at the bees regularly through this window as you’ll get to know your hive and it doesn’t disturb the bees. You will see the bees depositing honey in the cells and, when the cells are full, they seal them with a wax capping. You can rob a frame as soon as you see that it is full, although there is no hurry, the sealed honey will keep until it is convenient for you to drain it out of the hive.
Do I need to smoke the Flow™ Hive?
Not when you are operating the Flow™ Frames or just viewing the bees. Smoke is usually used to calm the bees when the hive is opened. However, bees do react to the hive being jolted, so it’s a good idea to have a smoker on hand in case the bees do start getting aggressive. A little smoke puffed into the entrance of the hive and some puffed around the hive itself will tend to calm them down. You will still need a smoker when you do the routine inspection of the brood nest.
Do I need to wear a bee suit, bee veil or gloves when I drain the honey out?
We do recommend you wear a bee protective suit, especially if you are new to beekeeping or have a new, unknown hive. Some beekeepers just use a veil, as being stung on the face, particularly up the nose, is painful and inconvenient!
We have found we can work at the back of the hive without the bees seeming to notice our presence, however we highly recommend that you wear a bee suit or at least a veil until you get to know your bees. Sometimes, for many reasons, bees can become quite aggressive, so you need to be prepared for that.
Is there a best time of day to drain the honey from hive using Flow™ Frames?
It is possible to harvest a Flow™ Hive at any time of the day or night because the hive is not opened. There is not the concern of chilling or disturbing the bees on cold or windy days.
We have found the bees are calmest in the late afternoon, and at this time the honey in the hive is likely to be warmest and runs easily, therefore we tend to extract at this time.
How often do I need to check the brood?
This depends on your location. Please check with beekeepers in your local area for recommended inspection schedules. If the hive is weak it should also be inspected. Our invention changes the honey harvesting component of beekeeping, all the rest of the normal beekeeping care for the hive still applies; Beetles, mites, swarm control etc. The flow hive clear end frame observation does assist with allowing you to look into the hive and gauge the strength and health of the colony.
Do I need to leave some honey in the Flow™ Hive for the bees?
Yes, this applies to all beekeeping. Your bees need honey to get them through the times when there is no nectar available. The number of frames of honey that you leave depends on your climate. You should consult local beekeepers as to how much they leave in their colonies over the winter.
The Flow™ Frames make it a lot easier to see how much honey is in your frames at any time, so you can learn to manage how much honey to harvest and how much to leave for the bees. You can even partially harvest individual Flow™ Frames.
Watching the honey level change every day is quite fascinating and I personally feel more in touch with the bees and can’t help but look on a daily basis.
Some Beekeepers do feed sugar syrup to their bees to help them get through the cold winter months. They rarely use honey for feeding as this could spread disease and is a lot more expensive than sugar.
How do the bees know when to uncap the Flow™ Frames?
The bees are quick to notice when the cells are empty and set about uncapping it usually within 24-48hours.
Can you harvest beeswax from a Flow™ Frame?
Honey comes out of the Flow™ Frames free from wax and ready for the table. All the wax stays in the hive and the bees reuse it. Bees use about 7kg honey to make 1kg of wax, as they do not need to rebuild the comb in the Flow™ Frames, this generally means improved honey production.
You can also have traditional wax combs and honey Flow™ Frames in the same hive (Flow™ Hybrid), this allows you to have honey on tap and honeycomb/wax from the one hive.
Do Flow™ Frames work with Australian native bees?
No you can't use Flow™ Frames with Australian bees or on an Australian native bee hive.
Australian Native bees have a completely different comb/pod structure and honey production pattern to the European honey bee.
Are the Flow™ Frames BPA free?
Yes. The clear viewing ends of the frames are made from a virgin food grade copolyester. The manufacturers have assured us that it's not only BPA-free, but it is not manufactured with bisphenol-S or any other bisphenol compounds.
What are your Shipping Costs?
Currently our Indiegogo Flash Sale shipping prices are as follows -
Flow™ Hive Classic Cedar:
North America (includes all American states and Canada) = $49USD
Many European Countries - (See full list bellow) = $175 USD
Where do you ship Flow™ Hives/Frames to?
We ship the Western Red Cedar Flow™ Hive to the USA (main continent), Canada, and these European countries; Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
If you are in Australia visit honeyflow.com.au to purchase in Australian dollars.
If your country is not listed on our shipping page, please contact us and we will try to assist you with your order and shipping if possible.
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We are constantly adding more Flow™ FAQs to our website http://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/p/22
Watch through the side and rear window and see all the girls Making honey!
With Flow™, harvesting honey is now something you can easily do with friends and family. To share the experience and give honey to your friends is one of the great things about keeping bees.
