Honey flow bee hives

JJayoo

Hiya guys

Just wondering if people have experience with these bee hives.

https://youtu.be/WbMV9qYIXqM

Seems like a great idea. I have been thinking of putting up a few beehives, wasn't bothered with collecting honey, as I have an orchard.

These hives would offer a handy alternative and allow me to get some nice honey.

I have also seen these hives on eBay for less than half the price of the official website but would be wary of getting a cheap Chinese knock-off made with crap material.

Any opinions would be appreciated

Yes there are knock offs on ebay; I've seen them complaining of this.

The hives themselves look like a great idea on first sight.. but the only intervention they save is the actual harvest of the honey which you might only do once a year. You will still need to do all the usual checking and anti swarming activity.

If youre starting, I think you would be better to start with conventional equipment, and when everything is up and running, and you have spoken to some beeks who use this, you could add a flow hive super.

From looking at the flow hive forum (which is quite good as a general information resource), I get the impression that many flow hive owners (mostly in australia) have bought flow hives as their first hives and are a bit lost.

If youre thinking of starting beekeeping, the very best thing you can do is to follow a course. Theyve just begun now in most areas so if youre quick you might still be able to join one in your area. I cant recommend this highly enough.

JJayoo

Thanks for all the information.

I have been thinking about making a few bee boxes/hives just to attract bees. Essentially a badger proof version of a hive they would have in the wild, and insulate it.

Will have to do research

solargain

Why not join an association and do a beginners course to see if its what you really want https://irishbeekeeping.ie/about-us/find-a-beekeepers-association-near-you/

bpmurray

Watch out when buying these flow hives - they're often Langstroth (always if they're the Chinese copies). In Ireland, National hives are the most common with a few using Commercial hives. If you go down the Langstroth route you make life very difficult indeed for yourself. Another thing - I presume there are no dandelions, no ivy and no fields of rapeseed around you, because the honey from these crystallises easily, and you could end up with an absurdly expensive brick.

Effects

Does that happen with dandelion too?
I'd presume if the flow hive was used here then you'd put the super part on after the rape and it's be gone before the ivy.

bpmurray

Effects wrote: »

Does that happen with dandelion too?
I'd presume if the flow hive was used here then you'd put the super part on after the rape and it's be gone before the ivy.

Dandelion could also be a problem. Rape can be in flower from April through to September, so you need to be certain about it being gone from a radius of around 3 miles from the hive.

Effects

I only had an issue with rape early in the season last year. Never had an issue with dandelion myself.

bpmurray

JJayoo wrote: »

Thanks for all the information.

I have been thinking about making a few bee boxes/hives just to attract bees. Essentially a badger proof version of a hive they would have in the wild, and insulate it.

Will have to do research

What you're talking about is a "bait hive" or "swarm trap". Probably the world expert in swarms is Tom Seeley - his "Honeybee Democracy" about swarm decisions is absolutely fascinating. He's a professor in Cornell University in the US. He put together a really informative paper on the area of bait hives: it's based on American dimensions, so you need to consider how to fit National or Commercial frames into a 40litre box if you follow his concepts. You can download it for free.

For information on the specifics of National or Commercial hives, check out Dave Cushman's site.

JJayoo

Thanks for the info BP

Just found out my uncle, who lives about 5 miles away, has a few hives and is part of a bee keeping club.

Is it possible to move a hive? For example could he bring one of his hives up to my house or would that confuse the bees.

In the last two years I have planted 191 apple trees (12 varieties) and 25 pear trees (5 varieties). I would also have approx 200 mature crab apples, plums,cherry, wild pear so I think the bees would have a good time once they are all in bloom.

Apiarist

JJayoo wrote: »

Just found out my uncle, who lives about 5 miles away, has a few hives and is part of a bee keeping club.

Is it possible to move a hive? 

Yes, there is a rule -- hive can be moved either less than 3 feet, or farther than 3 miles. Otherwise bees will get confused. So if your uncle lives 5 miles from you, it should be fine moving his hives to your garden.

JJayoo

Great thanks for the info

I must chat to him about it, he might even be able to get me a few hives and sort out the beekeeping duties.

Moonmumbler

victor8600 wrote: »

Yes, there is a rule -- hive can be moved either less than 3 feet, or farther than 3 miles. Otherwise bees will get confused. So if your uncle lives 5 miles from you, it should be fine moving his hives to your garden.

As the bee/crow flies!

spudgobbler

Hi all.
Have question to ask. I started last March with two nucs which quickly developed and swarmed. Between swarming and setting bait hives I’ve now 7 pretty strong hives. One hive is a double brood, I went down yesterday to have a look since the weather picked up. There all are pretty good, the double brood especially. Could someone give me advise on the double brood hive as in swarm control. I know it won’t matter til later on next month
Regards

solargain

What size brood boxes, lanstroth, national commercial?
I would be looking at keeping my brood nest in one box , condense the double brood frames to one box , add queen excluder and super for honey.
Clip and mark the queen , go for 10 day inspections and use the artificial swarm method for swarm control

spudgobbler

Thanks for reply
I’m using nationals. Would a double brood box not have more bees for foraging therefore more honey. Yo create an artificial swarm do I wait for queen cells to emerge or let them create their own queen once they notice no queen is present.
Probably a silly questions but still learning
Kind regards
Steve

solargain

Yes a double brood box would have more bees for foraging, however most beginners struggle to find the queen in a single brood box .

To make an artificial swarm you wait for the bees to start making queen cells and then act . If you wait for the cell to emerge , the old queen left the day the first cell was sealed.

You need to join your local association where they run beginners courses and there is local help available
https://irishbeekeeping.ie/about-us/find-a-beekeepers-association-near-you/

Effects

solargain wrote: »

I would be looking at keeping my brood nest in one box ,

I usually find a single brood box fills up too soon in the season. I've a few on double brood but it can be a pain to deal with. Better than brood and a half though!

spudgobbler

That was my thinking also, a single brood does fill up to easily. Adding a super may buy you sometime. Whereas a double brood will go a longways into the season before having to carry out some form of swarm patrol.
Regards
Stephg

Effects

I find with a super they can still fill up the brood box and queen has no where else to lay.
I've only one on double brood at the moment and had been thinking of making it a single brood. It's on a roof and hard to access/lift boxes up and down.

Last year I also had issues with ivy stores. I had been told that the bees would use them up. They didn't, and the queen ran out of room to lay and I lost a swarm pretty early on. They were a fairly aggressive hive which is why I wasn't inspecting then as much early on in the season.
Luckily the new queen that was produced was a lot more chilled.

solargain

If you scratch the cappings on the ivy stores in the brood with the hive tool nest the bees will clear it out and the queen will lay it up

bpmurray

Irish black bees are not prolific, so a double brood box is overkill. You can get them to populate a double, but it's much more work than it's worth.

Effects

solargain wrote: »

If you scratch the cappings on the ivy stores in the brood with the hive tool nest the bees will clear it out and the queen will lay it up

Nope, not from my experience.

Mad Benny

I'm new to beekeeping. I'm ready to move an overwinter nuc to a national hive.

Are two supers enough for the season?

tmg52

Effects wrote: »

Nope, not from my experience.

Place ivy frames in bucket of water over night slightly warm may help just tepid this will desolve the ivy crystals. Pour water down drain and Shake off excess water allow to drain and reuse the freed up comb.

Apiarist

Mad Benny wrote: »

I'm new to beekeeping. I'm ready to move an overwinter nuc to a national hive.
Are two supers enough for the season?

Note that it is customary not to put supers on until they are actually needed. Overwintered nuc should be as good a full colony for collection honey. So if the weather is good and there are good sources of nectar, you may need more supers. However, if you see that a second super is filling up you could just buy another super and frames. If you are using fresh foundation, it will take time for bees to draw out comb even before filling it with honey.

Effects

tmg52 wrote: »

Place ivy frames in bucket of water over night slightly warm may help just tepid this will desolve the ivy crystals. Pour water down drain and Shake off excess water allow to drain and reuse the freed up comb.

Ah yeah, I've done that. I was advised they would use up the crystallised stuff. They didn't.

I keep a better eye on them now and add an empty, but drawn, frame close to the brood nest. If they are strong enough I use the spreading the brood method.

This year I'm planning a double brood with supers separated with newspaper on one hive. In a spot I won't be able to inspect as often. I'll also put up about four bait hives in case of a swarm.

Effects

Mad Benny wrote: »

I'm new to beekeeping. I'm ready to move an overwinter nuc to a national hive.

Are two supers enough for the season?

Get more than you need just in case. During peak honey season you can find it might be hard to get supers or foundation at short notice.

I keep frames in plastic boxes so I can store extra frames ahead of the season and also before extraction.