I was really disappointed with my flowhive, hardly any honey this 1st year. I got 2 small jars! Lots and lots of bees and a professional bee keeper come to visit and said they just don't like the hive.
this is so helpful. I only put my NUC into the brood bo 2 weeks ago and all ten frames are nearly full! So excited. Thank u so much Cedar and Co for this amazing thing.
Cedar boughs will solve mite problems..not only in hives but hen neat as well. Just cut some and lay next to it. Put hives under cedar trees work great.
My grandfather was a beekeeper he always told my mom when you move a hive you move them at night but put something on the flight deck so they look around before they fly out. So they don't get lost and get their barings.
And bee's when out collecting Pullen one they come back to the hive they show the next set of bee's going out where the flowers are that are full of pollen. They do a dance/ and show them the directions to take to find the pullen
I've always been intrigued by bee keeping and your design has giving me the final push to get into it. Our deluxe model is on the way. Thanks for the inspiration.
4:38 You can wire up the frame and let them draw comb naturally, they will build around the wire and your brood comb is well secure. 6:30 Close the hive up at night and move the hive at night, or yes move it 1m at a time. 18:00 Place your super when bees spew out of the top once you open your inner cover, if you get a volcano of bees coming up and out to inspect, then hive is strong and full.
I have been wanting to get into bed keeping, and after seeing the hive I’m more excited than before. We’ll probably be ordering a couple of these soon.
My guess for buttercotch honey is most likely flowers that have diacetyl (used for butter or butterscotch flavour) two examples are: Fagraea racemosa(false coffee tree) and the Polyalthia longifolia(indian mast tree)
Great video, I’ve wanted to raise bees since I was 15 years old(30 now) and I think it’s time a start thanks to this video I feel more confident in starting out!
Hey Brendon, oh that is so wonderful to hear :) Here is a page on getting started: www.honeyflow.com/pages/getting-started-beekeeping?_pos=1&_sid=e14ad5529&_ss=r Feel free to email us at info@honeyflow.com and ask for some more beginner beekeeping support resources. - Danika
"The bees, the universe and everything." Is that answer also 42? Thank you for the great vid. I ordered my first Flow Hive a couple of days ago and am excited to get started. I bookmarked this video to help me get started right. Thanks again, Damon (Idaho, USA).
So I am researching bee keeping to see if I want to get into it. My question is why do you not use a an Endoscope for inspections? It would seem you could reduce the amount of disturbance to the hive while doing inspections.
Not everyone has an endoscope just lying around also opening the hive gets the bees used to you being around also,the scope may nick a row of brood tearing their young
been interested for a few years now and I think I will be starting one up this year... My biggest worry is, I'm in UK... not the hottest of climates and very rainy most of the year. Will then hive be ok to survive in colder climates and how do you go about keeping your hive warm and fed in the winter times when there are fewer to no flowers about and temperatures drop as low as -5 in worst case scenarios? I'd hate to start a hive to only watch them grow and then die in the winter each year. Thanks and appreciate your help... Great work and product!
Hey Sam, Thanks for your message and interest :) We do have lots of UK Flow beekeepers - Jamie Oliver is actually a great one to follow on social media for it as he often talks about the different climate-specific tips and tricks to managing his Flow hives in the English climate. You can also find a list of our beekeeping clubs and Flow ambassadors in the UK on this map and directory: www.honeyflow.com/pages/bee-club-directory And our Connect With Locals section of our online community forum could be a supportive place too: forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23 And any further questions please don't hesitate to email us at info@honeyflow.com :) I hope this helps! - Danika
Hi Team, I am living in Malaysia at the moment, I am in worm farming and always wanting to learn beekeeping but I didn't have bees. So, how and where to start? Here is my story, at my regenerative farm, one day I was resting at my usual spot after couple hours for something to drink and eat. Guess what, there was a beehive right under my wood staked table. It is kind mother nature heard my request and guided to me. Now, I want to start this new adventure and willing to learn everything. Thanks for your advices. HLE
Try to find a split or nuc colony from a bee keeper, may be close may be far away. I had to travel 200 miles to get one. I'd make sure that you have a shipping date on your hives before you get the nuc, as it might get over crowded and split on you before your hive arrives. Have the nuc where you want your hive to be for at least a day so the bees know where home will be. Then you can add the frames to your flow hive. I'd have a smoker, suit, and gloves as well as a hive tool as well. You'll have to check if varroa mites are an issue in your area, if so you'll need to settle on a way treat them before your winter arrives.
I think you empty the tube once the window shows them full and make sure to empty ALL the way and not just take a little bit out or it will over flow ? Heard then talking about that on earlier page
Hi Tanya, the bees normally stick the boxes together with propolis. They are also very heavy when full of bees and honey and so don't usually get blown over in the wind. Animals can knock over the hives so best keep them away if there's a danger of that - Sam
@Yo Mama You say that they're not worth the hassle, but turning a key seems like a lot less hassle than pulling out frames, replacing them, cleaning out the frame, straining it, centrifuging material, extracting the dead bees and wax, then filtering the honey. It seems like a lot of hassle not to have a flowhive, so what exactly are the cons of having one?
@@Nanamowa lol, what? Go watch jeff horchoff pull some honey and learn how it's done. Hell, even if you're doing crush and strain by hand, all you need are pantyhose, a bucket and your frames of honey. Do you even know how to bees?
1) Do you have a Mini-Flow hive, which might work for a balcony, or small yard? If so, how far away from balcony entrance does the hive need to be so as not to disturb the bees, or still be able to sit on the balcony? 2) How much (Qty ounces or pints) can be harvested from a full hive? 3) Is there a way to only open one only one slot at a time, so you get a full frame which is harvestable before you open another one?
Do you need to keep the flow give 2 in the "harvesting" level at all times, or just when you are harvesting? It seems to be a very steep slant. I'm worried water will spill in through the hive entrance when it rains.
I have a question about the color of hives. Some hives are the natural wood color and some are painted white. Is there and advantage to painting a have white?
I’m up in Cairns, I have Native bees all over, they occupy the walls of my house, once renovated and pulled off walls, honey went everywhere. Would those native bees occupy a Flow Hive if I put it near their entrances to my wall hives?
I have a six frame flow hive, it's full. Top and bottom. I just bought a second six frame flow hive. Can I just take half the brood and half the flow frames and put it in the new hive ?
I have a aquaponics glasshouse full of flowering plants, we wanted to have the entrance close to a hole in glasshouse so they can get into glasshouse as well as the rest of the garden, any thoughts or ideas on glasshouses and bees
Great review. Could you show on a video how the roof is meant to sit on your flow Hive. I have noticed that the wooden latch when the roof is on will not lock the flow Hive harvesting window. Is that meant to be like that?
Hey Ron, Thanks for getting in touch :) Hmmm, I'm not totally sure what you mean - could you send us an email at info@honeyflow.com with photos/videos illustrating your issue? - Danika
Mr. Cedar i wanted to ask you which staining coat type would you prefer for to keep the flow hive nice and durable for very long periods of time please sir?
Hi Jacqueline, Our smallest is our Flow Hive Hybrid which is still the same footprint as our classic 6 Frame Hive. Beekeeping with a Flow Hive is exactly the same as with a conventional hive. It’s still important to inspect and maintain your hive in the same way - only honey harvesting differs. - Sam
I've been watching a lot of videos from different people on bees, so a question came to mind. Do you or is there a plan to make flow frames that will fit and work in a European style horizontal hive? As a disabled Veteran, the horizontal hives seem to be a better fit later down the road as their design eliminates having to lift heavy Langstroth style boxes. Just thought I would throw that out there and see what you think.
Hi Kenneth, there are some horizontal hives and top bar hives made to the Langstroth depth and length, if you are looking at getting one of these you can put Flow Frames inside this, with some modification to the hive. At this stage there is no plan to change the size of the Flow Frames. -Kieran
Enjoyed your presentation from Canada. Just starting with bees this spring. There is a lot of controversy here re treating and not treating bees. Do you have any opinion on that subject. Thanks
Do you just put the cover over the hive when should you put the super on? ,also when the hives are full bee wax do you take that one out clean the comb off then put the frame back in ? Should the super be slightly slanted so honey flows to the front when your filling your honey jars ,then take out the say wood that was used to slope so nothing gets in? What is the ratio for water sugar ,feed Does the super slightly slanted honey flow to tubes When you get your nuc 10 frames will that fit in my brood box ,I have a 7 ct also curious how to the females know to go up to the super and the queen and drones stay to bottom? Does the water feeder that can go inside goes in the brood box? Do the female go down there to drink?
The roof goes on the brood box and then goes on the super when you put this on top. The Flow Frames get built out with comb the bees reuse this comb, uncapping, resealing and refilling after a harvest. You wont need to clean them unless you are putting them in storage and a pest gets to them. Yes there is a slope built into the Flow Hive for harvesting, the front to rear slope is able to be present indefinitely, it doesnt impact on the colony. A side to side slope would risk cross comb though so it is important to ensure this is level. -Kieran
We have 2 dogs that we let loose in our fenced in yard. What kind of interaction can we expect and would there be problems? They are both medium sized dogs and I am sure they will get up and snoop around. I see flowhives on Amazon. If I do this, i want to make sure I have your new type, laser cut units as seen in your videos. Is anyone duplicating your hives? Thank you.
Hi Joe, there are many backyard beekeepers that have dogs in their home and yard. If your dogs are 'interested' in the hive you can place a fence around the hive. This way your dogs will not accidentally knock the hive or disturb the bees as much and they will be less likely to get stung. We have a limited selection of genuine Flow products available through Amazon (www.amazon.com/flow), but there are many fakes making their way onto the market :( You can also find all of our Flow products available directly from our online store: www.honeyflow.com/ Please email info@honeyflow.com if you have any questions - Leah.
BEE careful :) with dogs. I have a crazy German Shephard that tries to eat the bee's just visiting our bird feeders and water. I'm wanting to get a smaller one of these EVEN shared video with hubby ;) I just need to fence in one side of the hill side so Shephard can't jump wall to get to bees
How I control the bee colony when I don't wont the bee colony go to big in and for my hive ? how I cover this bee hive in the winter time here in Canada and how much airflow I need to my bee hive in the winter time ?
Hi VB, The starter pack does come with a Queen Excluder, in terms of balls hitting the hive, I guess you could pop a fence around it but perhaps not throwing them too close might be easier :D - Sam
For what it’s worth my friend is helping me do bees and he always does the nuc with only the brood box. Once the brood box gets filled out and healthy he adds the super. He does keep a close eye on it to make sure they don’t run out of room.
it is really important to start with just a brood box, only add the Flow Super when the bees reach about 80-90% bee population in the brood box, which is visible as a thick carpet of bees on top. -Kieran
I saw a video claiming that if I try to harvest a flow frame before it is fully capped and bees are still working in the chambers I will maim all the bees in the chambers. They stated that you had to pull and inspect every flow frame to make sure it was fully capped before harvesting it. Is this true? Will I injure bees that are still in the chambers when I turn the flow key?
I wondered the same, I think that video was referring to the first one they made, I think they upgraded it so it doesn't do that now. Search flow hive honey,, a guy reviews the flow hive and its all good.
Learn about beekeeping before you start. And dont for a second think you need a flow hive. Not until you see the hobby works well enough to spend that kind of money on something you might not even like.
In order to extract the Honey from the Flow frames, would it not be beneficial to do the extraction in a separate Flow Hive box ? , as you did with the few Frames you removed, also pin pricking the capped cells with a pin roller, to facilitate a better Honey flow out of the Cells ?, You did it a bit scratching with the Hive Tool, but not opening many Cells.
Hi its best to harvest the Flow Frames on the hive as they have been designed in this way, the bees keep the temperature at about 35ºc/95ºF which keeps wax soft and honey liquid. There is enough of an allowance in the honey trough and tube that you dont need to disturb the capping. Doing so could lead to honey leaking out of capping instead. -Kieran
Ever since I found out about flow hive I wanted to try it. However, I would like to beekeep Asiatic honey bee because they defend themselves better against predetors such as wasps. I was wondering if flowhive could be used with these bees or are there certain modifications needed.
Joe Blazer where can I watch the answer? I asked a question to know the answer and you informed me it has been answered but I can not find this answer.
@@camojoe83 Where can I watch the answer? I asked a question to know the answer and you informed me it has been answered but I can not find this answer.
@@sung-yulpark3258 they didn't answer you, he's being sarcastic. I noticed he's leaving many bitter comments about the flow hive and the expense of them. I prefer everything as natural as possible, but when I see so many people getting into keeping bees that normally wouldn't, how can that be anything but a wonderful addition to preserving the colonies? Everyone does things different, we learn as we go. If it works for you and your blessed to be able to afford it, wonderful. I see them working well in videos of bee keepers. I think they were raising the kind you want to raise. I do wish they'd lower the price. I don't think I can afford one, but I'd like to do a video reviewing one if they sent it to me. God bless 🐝🌻💯💪😀👍🦋🌻🐝❤️
I have heard people claim flow hives are lower stress, so don't cause Japanese bees (whatever they are) to swarm so much in distress... Have you made any experience last year?
When you are harvesting honey, how do you prevent bees from other hives from getting in there and trying to eat out honey from your flowhive? That’s why we take frames away and get the honey taken out elsewhere so we don’t get our bees in danger.
Hi there, probably best to check with local beekeepers for their advice, we are in a sub-tropical climate and as such do not need to overwinter our hive - Sam
Do you have any plans to make a Slovenian or AZ style box where you can access the frames from the back instead of the top? I'm wanting to have a Slovenian-style bee house with Flow frames for the honey.
Hey Dan, Thanks for the question. We love the look of the Slovenian/AZ kinds of hives but don't have ay immediate plans to do this, no, but you can search our online community forum using these keywords and find a good amount of threads from our Flow community who have modified their Flow hives for this style: forum.honeyflow.com/ I hope this helps, and if you do so we'd love to hear how you go! - Danika
Hi Irene, Sorry for the late reply. Here's a video of how to transfer a nuc to your hive - I hope it's not too late! ruclips.net/video/fYbciqkH5-Q/видео.html For quicker responses please email us at info@honeyflow.com - Danika
Was it Mr. C Hemsworth 😅 Just Saw his video with his bee hive system and loved the idea, but it looked like it was overflowing with honey 🍯 I think you should give him a shout and tell him what's up lol.
I live in Atlanta, GA and am new beekeeper. I originally wanted to use 2 brood boxes before adding the super. Being in the South the winters are not that long so would it probably be ok to use just one brood box and add on the super? Thanks
hey there :) The bees definitely need the hive to be in a lot of sun more so than too much shade, as lots of pests and diseases thrive in the shade. Ideal would be morning/most of the day full sun, and some afternoon shade is fine. You can always add shade clothes etc in hotter months as needed. See more info on factors to consider for locating your hive: support.honeyflow.com/where-to-locate-your-flow-hive/ - Danika
I'm interested in keeping a hive in the garden for the bees to come home to Do I need to maintain their hive or can I set and forget I'd like to set up and leave the bees to go about their lives
I certainly suggest looking into other hives cause this is too much I’m starting myself I got everything bees and all for less than $600 and this hive is more than that last I checked
Some honey bees can be left to their own devices and do whatever, there are honey bees in the wild. Most bees you’d get online wouldn’t do so well left on their own though, get some local bees and a top bar hive. They should be fine if you treat them for mites twice a year.
@@Ornatetooth0475 but then you still have to buy the equipment for extraction. That's fine if you have several hives, but if you're only wanting one this is a good option.
By feeding simple syrup 1:1 sugar trough perforated lids or dedicated feeding frames, after flowers get scarce/havesting given the amount of honey taken from their winter storage in commercial applications. If you didn't havest you wouldn't need to feed bees at all, when you do it's dependent on their honey stores. Have you made any experience in the past 8 months?
Hey Kenneth, Did you inspect the Flow frames first? It could have been so otherwise yes. A little bit of leaking (a teaspoon or two) isn't out of the ordinary but any more and it could be down to harvesting too soon. You can't tell from the outside observation windows alone whether the frame is ready for harvesting or not so you do need to inspect if you're not sure. To troubleshoot any further please email us at info@honeyflow.com and we'd be happy to go through it with you. - Danika
Please could you comment about using flow hive in a colder climate, eg Yorkshire, UK. Are there people over here who are using flow hives successfully?
Hey Ruth, Thanks for getting in touch :) Yes, absolutely - we have Flow beekeepers in many such climates over the world. We strongly recommend getting connected with your local beekeeping club to get the best climate-specific advice, tips and tricks for your region. Here is our online directory of Flow-connected clubs and ambassadors, hopefully there's someone near you on it: www.honeyflow.com.au/pages/bee-club-directory There's also our online community forum, that even has a section called 'Connect With Locals' which can be a great way to reach out to other Flow beekeepers near you : forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23 Here's an article on overwintering your hive in colder climates: www.honeyflow.com.au/blogs/beekeeping-basics/how-to-overwinter-your-beehive ruclips.net/video/4QjBtY3xlZc/видео.html Here's a couple of articles from our FAQ pages that are relevant too: support.honeyflow.com/can-i-use-flow-in-cold-or-freezing-conditions/ support.honeyflow.com/wintering-your-flow-hive/ I hope this helps - also you can always email us at info@honeyflow.com for further help :)
Hey :) Hmmm, we wouldn't recommend this as it would kill off all of the raw medicinal properties of it. Sometimes if you harvest a bit too early it can be a bit runny so best to only do this if you really need to, in the event of it being ivy/rapeseed blossom honey that will crystallise if left longer. Nothing wrong with the occasional batch of runny honey though! - Danika
I live in New Orleans Louisiana-USA. Would you make a smaller flow hive for small 35ft x 30 ft backyards. I am working on created nice plants for the bees and butterflies. I still want the easy flow hive that work in this size yard.
Hey Jacqueline, Thanks for your message. Unfortunately at this time we don't have any imminent plans to make smaller Flow frames. However, our hives can be kept in small locations - see this article for more info on the subject: support.honeyflow.com/how-much-space-do-i-need-for-a-flow-hive/ I hope this helps :) Danika
I put a queen bee and 4 worker bees in my new auto flow hive. I went to check on the hive which was placed at my friends acreage a few weeks later. I saw bees flying around the area, but the hive was completely devoid of bees. Why did they not like the hive and move to somewhere else?
You mention the word "auto" this is generally linked to fake hives, is it possible you purchased counterfeits as the plastic used in these is not going to be the same food grade quality that we offer, as well as the overall intricate design not able to be fully replicated. support.honeyflow.com/fake-flow-hives/ -Kieran
Hey Jenny, Can you please email us at info@honeyflow.com with what you're wanting to order and where you are located? We look forward to helping you further. - Danika
Hey Wayne, It is a tricky question as the answer depends on so many factors, but please see it answered here: support.honeyflow.com/how-long-does-it-take-before-i-can-drain-the-honey-from-the-flow-hive/ I hope this helps :) - Danika
Hey Kyle, It really depends on your local climate - the best beekeeping practices vary from region to region so we can't recommend enough the importance of consulting your local beekeeping community. Here's an online directory of Flow related beekeeping clubs/ambassadors that hopefully has someone on it near you - otherwise just search for your nearest beekeeping club. www.honeyflow.com/pages/bee-club-directory There's also a great section in our community forum called Connect With Locals where you can confer with other Flow beekeepers near you. forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23 I hope this helps :) - Danika
Hey Michael, Please see this article for your question: support.honeyflow.com/how-long-does-it-take-before-i-can-drain-the-honey-from-the-flow-hive/ I hope it helps! - Danika
Hey Genevieve, Please see this page that addresses how to transfer your new colony into the brood box: support.honeyflow.com/how-can-i-move-my-flow-hive/ Good luck setting up your new hive :) We have lots more info on the same FAQ page above, as well as an online beekeeping course that might interest you, with a free one month's trail - thebeekeeper.org Good luck! Danika
Hi Rubie, I believe in the northern hemisphere this direction is considered a good one as the bees will get a lot of sun... however keep in mind hives have existed in such a vast array of locations/orientations and will adapt to most! There are other important considerations such as prevailing winds etc. For more detail on the things to consider please see the article below: support.honeyflow.com/where-to-locate-your-flow-hive/ I hope this helps :) Danika
Sir,for how much distance bees remember their location.and if we are to relocate the hive ,what is minimum distance we can move a hive to new location so that the bees do not move to their original location
Someone posted something about bees not liking plastic. Is that plastic in the extractor area? Or have you used something else to make that? Thanks. Thinking of buying but still know very little about it all.
Hey Deby, thanks for your question. The Flow frames themselves are made out of the highest quality, food-grade plastic, yep! Plastic has been used in beekeeping (usually in foundation for brood frames) for generations without any issues. We have found that in some cases, bees will actually build out the Flow Frames first, especially with our Hybrid Flow Hives, which contain a mixture of timber & Flow Frames for honey storage. If regularly harvested, the bees may not end up building the timber frames out until they are left to fill the entire box. Of course every colony is different… Most bee colonies generally do have a preference for building out their own comb from scratch, which is one of the key reasons we like using foundationless frames in the brood box. At Flow, we really love bees, and their safety is of utmost importance, so we only use the highest quality food grade plastics to ensure their safety. Some reports regarding fakes frames have seen very poor quality plastics used, which are quite toxic, it is so unfortunate that unsuspecting customers have been tricked with these knock offs not realising that our genuine Flow Frames are not only premium quality but also safe for the bees. Here's an article that might provide more information for you on how the Flow frames work: support.honeyflow.com/how-do-the-flow-frames-work/
![How to tell when your Flow Hive is ready to harvest 🍯🐝🌻[LIVE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0UMyWfxe2NI/mqdefault.jpg)
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
This wonderful company has persevered through a great deal of unwarranted criticism to create a blessing for both bees and bee keepers!
I have never done bee keeping but just because I saw an ad for this product, I am very excited to start!
Lol me too. Just trying to learn as much as I can first.
So start journey✈️ the bee 🐝keeping
Do not buy from any RUclips ad. I lost money they are fakes. Go to EBay and buy a imitation for lot less cash.
Me too!
I was really disappointed with my flowhive, hardly any honey this 1st year. I got 2 small jars! Lots and lots of bees and a professional bee keeper come to visit and said they just don't like the hive.
this is so helpful. I only put my NUC into the brood bo 2 weeks ago and all ten frames are nearly full! So excited. Thank u so much Cedar and Co for this amazing thing.
I'm so glad!
Cedar boughs will solve mite problems..not only in hives but hen neat as well. Just cut some and lay next to it. Put hives under cedar trees work great.
My grandfather was a beekeeper he always told my mom when you move a hive you move them at night but put something on the flight deck so they look around before they fly out. So they don't get lost and get their barings.
@Clark Khari bot
And bee's when out collecting Pullen one they come back to the hive they show the next set of bee's going out where the flowers are that are full of pollen.
They do a dance/ and show them the directions to take to find the pullen
I've always been intrigued by bee keeping and your design has giving me the final push to get into it. Our deluxe model is on the way. Thanks for the inspiration.
Go for it!
4:38 You can wire up the frame and let them draw comb naturally, they will build around the wire and your brood comb is well secure.
6:30 Close the hive up at night and move the hive at night, or yes move it 1m at a time.
18:00 Place your super when bees spew out of the top once you open your inner cover, if you get a volcano of bees coming up and out to inspect, then hive is strong and full.
I have been wanting to get into bed keeping, and after seeing the hive I’m more excited than before. We’ll probably be ordering a couple of these soon.
Wow, I have learned a lot. Thank you. We are getting our 1st hive at the end of January 🎉🎉can't wait!
Good luck!
How do you know when the honey is ready to harvest? How do you know the frames are full? Do you inspect the honey super before you harvest?
My guess for buttercotch honey is most likely flowers that have diacetyl (used for butter or butterscotch flavour) two examples are: Fagraea racemosa(false coffee tree) and the Polyalthia longifolia(indian mast tree)
Great video, I’ve wanted to raise bees since I was 15 years old(30 now) and I think it’s time a start thanks to this video I feel more confident in starting out!
Hey Brendon, oh that is so wonderful to hear :) Here is a page on getting started:
www.honeyflow.com/pages/getting-started-beekeeping?_pos=1&_sid=e14ad5529&_ss=r
Feel free to email us at info@honeyflow.com and ask for some more beginner beekeeping support resources. - Danika
"The bees, the universe and everything." Is that answer also 42?
Thank you for the great vid. I ordered my first Flow Hive a couple of days ago and am excited to get started. I bookmarked this video to help me get started right. Thanks again, Damon (Idaho, USA).
Did you ever get your hive going?
Very informative and well said I am interested in bee keeping and most important the purchase of a flow hive
So I am researching bee keeping to see if I want to get into it. My question is why do you not use a an Endoscope for inspections? It would seem you could reduce the amount of disturbance to the hive while doing inspections.
Not everyone has an endoscope just lying around also opening the hive gets the bees used to you being around also,the scope may nick a row of brood tearing their young
My bees be home 3/24/2021 I am very excited. Thanks for all the tips.
How is it going?
@@SageandStoneHomestead did my first inspection 5 days after and it was very plesent.
@@lovelymillie1967 awesome!!
I'm very proud of all the information I get and see to start soon my own
Bees are found in the key area and flow hive window at the back. There was supplied a small wood block that the bees moved off.
been interested for a few years now and I think I will be starting one up this year... My biggest worry is, I'm in UK... not the hottest of climates and very rainy most of the year. Will then hive be ok to survive in colder climates and how do you go about keeping your hive warm and fed in the winter times when there are fewer to no flowers about and temperatures drop as low as -5 in worst case scenarios? I'd hate to start a hive to only watch them grow and then die in the winter each year. Thanks and appreciate your help... Great work and product!
Hey Sam,
Thanks for your message and interest :)
We do have lots of UK Flow beekeepers - Jamie Oliver is actually a great one to follow on social media for it as he often talks about the different climate-specific tips and tricks to managing his Flow hives in the English climate.
You can also find a list of our beekeeping clubs and Flow ambassadors in the UK on this map and directory:
www.honeyflow.com/pages/bee-club-directory
And our Connect With Locals section of our online community forum could be a supportive place too:
forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23
And any further questions please don't hesitate to email us at info@honeyflow.com :) I hope this helps! - Danika
love your videos... love the flow hive
Hi Team, I am living in Malaysia at the moment, I am in worm farming and always wanting to learn beekeeping but I didn't have bees. So, how and where to start? Here is my story, at my regenerative farm, one day I was resting at my usual spot after couple hours for something to drink and eat. Guess what, there was a beehive right under my wood staked table. It is kind mother nature heard my request and guided to me. Now, I want to start this new adventure and willing to learn everything. Thanks for your advices. HLE
Hi, can you give some tips on getting started with worm farming?
You are a super genius !! 🙏. I cannot wait to get a flow beehive. Thank You for your Time Sir
Did you get yours ? I was wondering about getting one but the more info I get the more I want to go the classic way.
I just ordered a Flow Hives and would like to know more about how to start. many thans in advance for all advice. I am in the Netherlands.
Try to find a split or nuc colony from a bee keeper, may be close may be far away. I had to travel 200 miles to get one. I'd make sure that you have a shipping date on your hives before you get the nuc, as it might get over crowded and split on you before your hive arrives. Have the nuc where you want your hive to be for at least a day so the bees know where home will be. Then you can add the frames to your flow hive. I'd have a smoker, suit, and gloves as well as a hive tool as well. You'll have to check if varroa mites are an issue in your area, if so you'll need to settle on a way treat them before your winter arrives.
This is a huge help. Thank you so much
What do you put in the bottom of the auto flow box
About how long should you leave the honey in the super before harvesting to make sure you’re not harvesting too earlier?
how can i get one
I think you empty the tube once the window shows them full and make sure to empty ALL the way and not just take a little bit out or it will over flow ?
Heard then talking about that on earlier page
Great idea you had there Cedar! How about putting a window or 2 on the brood box?
How do you stabilize the boxes so they don't blow over in the wind or get knocked over by animals?
Hi Tanya, the bees normally stick the boxes together with propolis. They are also very heavy when full of bees and honey and so don't usually get blown over in the wind. Animals can knock over the hives so best keep them away if there's a danger of that - Sam
Is there a video for harvesting and cleaning the hive? When and how do you clean it?
Fred Dunn has utube videos on harvesting flow hives. He also discusses cleaning and preparing for winter.
Just scrape anything off that’s not in the frames whenever you’re in there, bees will take care of the rest
@Yo Mama You say that they're not worth the hassle, but turning a key seems like a lot less hassle than pulling out frames, replacing them, cleaning out the frame, straining it, centrifuging material, extracting the dead bees and wax, then filtering the honey. It seems like a lot of hassle not to have a flowhive, so what exactly are the cons of having one?
@@Nanamowa lol, what? Go watch jeff horchoff pull some honey and learn how it's done.
Hell, even if you're doing crush and strain by hand, all you need are pantyhose, a bucket and your frames of honey.
Do you even know how to bees?
You usually only need to clean it before you sell them to the next sucker who thinks flow hives are cool.
1) Do you have a Mini-Flow hive, which might work for a balcony, or small yard? If so, how far away from balcony entrance does the hive need to be so as not to disturb the bees, or still be able to sit on the balcony? 2) How much (Qty ounces or pints) can be harvested from a full hive? 3) Is there a way to only open one only one slot at a time, so you get a full frame which is harvestable before you open another one?
Most of your hives are a brood box and a flow box, without adding a super. Is there a benefit to keeping the hive small?
Do you need to keep the flow give 2 in the "harvesting" level at all times, or just when you are harvesting? It seems to be a very steep slant. I'm worried water will spill in through the hive entrance when it rains.
I have a question about the color of hives. Some hives are the natural wood color and some are painted white. Is there and advantage to painting a have white?
I’m up in Cairns, I have Native bees all over, they occupy the walls of my house, once renovated and pulled off walls, honey went everywhere. Would those native bees occupy a Flow Hive if I put it near their entrances to my wall hives?
They could.
Question. I live in the UK, we have frosts in the winter, will the plastic be ok left out? Is it likely to crack?
how long do the plastic flow frames last?
nice presentation,,,, enjoyed it an learned à lot
Do we have to put wax on the Frames as I was told the bees don’t take to the flow hive
I have a six frame flow hive, it's full. Top and bottom.
I just bought a second six frame flow hive.
Can I just take half the brood and half the flow frames and put it in the new hive ?
I have a aquaponics glasshouse full of flowering plants, we wanted to have the entrance close to a hole in glasshouse so they can get into glasshouse as well as the rest of the garden, any thoughts or ideas on glasshouses and bees
we have been building the glasshouse for over two years, super excited to finally put the flow hive into place with it
Great review. Could you show on a video how the roof is meant to sit on your flow Hive. I have noticed that the wooden latch when the roof is on will not lock the flow Hive harvesting window. Is that meant to be like that?
Hey Ron,
Thanks for getting in touch :)
Hmmm, I'm not totally sure what you mean - could you send us an email at info@honeyflow.com with photos/videos illustrating your issue?
- Danika
Is the brood box not screwed to the super? We have windy days where I live and wonder whether these will be blown over.
Mr. Cedar i wanted to ask you which staining coat type would you prefer for to keep the flow hive nice and durable for very long periods of time please sir?
I am looking for a much smaller flow hive, so it won't be overwhelming. I want wanting it to be super easy.
Hi Jacqueline, Our smallest is our Flow Hive Hybrid which is still the same footprint as our classic 6 Frame Hive. Beekeeping with a Flow Hive is exactly the same as with a conventional hive. It’s still important to inspect and maintain your hive in the same way - only honey harvesting differs. - Sam
Is it possible to make several colonies from your first bee colony if you have several flow hive 2+ please?
Thank you for interesting video. Hi from Belarus bee's forests! ✊🙏
If you move from one town to another do the bees adjust and find the hive - Brisbane to Toowoomba Australia
They do, there is a process to moving bees but if done correctly they will adjust to their new location. -Kieran
I've been watching a lot of videos from different people on bees, so a question came to mind. Do you or is there a plan to make flow frames that will fit and work in a European style horizontal hive? As a disabled Veteran, the horizontal hives seem to be a better fit later down the road as their design eliminates having to lift heavy Langstroth style boxes. Just thought I would throw that out there and see what you think.
Hi Kenneth, there are some horizontal hives and top bar hives made to the Langstroth depth and length, if you are looking at getting one of these you can put Flow Frames inside this, with some modification to the hive. At this stage there is no plan to change the size of the Flow Frames. -Kieran
Enjoyed your presentation from Canada. Just starting with bees this spring. There is a lot of controversy here re treating and not treating bees. Do you have any opinion on that subject. Thanks
We don’t have varroa here in Australia [last varroa-free place on the planet…] so it isn’t a decision we need to make…🤷♂️
How do you rotate frames between the brood box and the honey super
Do you just put the cover over the hive when should you put the super on? ,also when the hives are full bee wax do you take that one out clean the comb off then put the frame back in ? Should the super be slightly slanted so honey flows to the front when your filling your honey jars ,then take out the say wood that was used to slope so nothing gets in?
What is the ratio for water sugar ,feed
Does the super slightly slanted honey flow to tubes
When you get your nuc 10 frames will that fit in my brood box ,I have a 7 ct also curious how to the females know to go up to the super and the queen and drones stay to bottom? Does the water feeder that can go inside goes in the brood box? Do the female go down there to drink?
The roof goes on the brood box and then goes on the super when you put this on top. The Flow Frames get built out with comb the bees reuse this comb, uncapping, resealing and refilling after a harvest. You wont need to clean them unless you are putting them in storage and a pest gets to them. Yes there is a slope built into the Flow Hive for harvesting, the front to rear slope is able to be present indefinitely, it doesnt impact on the colony. A side to side slope would risk cross comb though so it is important to ensure this is level. -Kieran
We have 2 dogs that we let loose in our fenced in yard. What kind of interaction can we expect and would there be problems? They are both medium sized dogs and I am sure they will get up and snoop around. I see flowhives on Amazon. If I do this, i want to make sure I have your new type, laser cut units as seen in your videos. Is anyone duplicating your hives? Thank you.
Hi Joe, there are many backyard beekeepers that have dogs in their home and yard. If your dogs are 'interested' in the hive you can place a fence around the hive. This way your dogs will not accidentally knock the hive or disturb the bees as much and they will be less likely to get stung.
We have a limited selection of genuine Flow products available through Amazon (www.amazon.com/flow), but there are many fakes making their way onto the market :(
You can also find all of our Flow products available directly from our online store: www.honeyflow.com/
Please email info@honeyflow.com if you have any questions - Leah.
@@FlowHive THANKS
BEE careful :) with dogs.
I have a crazy German Shephard that tries to eat the bee's just visiting our bird feeders and water.
I'm wanting to get a smaller one of these EVEN shared video with hubby ;)
I just need to fence in one side of the hill side so Shephard can't jump wall to get to bees
Our dog loves honey so I have hive protected. The bees would be the ones who would survive 👍
How I control the bee colony when I don't wont the bee colony go to big in and for my hive ? how I cover this bee hive in the winter time here in Canada and how much airflow I need to my bee hive in the winter time ?
does the starter bundle come with a queen excluder?
also how would you stop objects such as balls hitting the classic hive?
Hi VB, The starter pack does come with a Queen Excluder, in terms of balls hitting the hive, I guess you could pop a fence around it but perhaps not throwing them too close might be easier :D - Sam
@@FlowHive thanks :D
Crikey mate, Just keep em in ya pants.
Is there a benefit to splitting a hive over adding brood boxes or another super
Our Flow hive is on the way! Question: if I’m starting from a nuc, do I still have to wait to put the super on top? Or can I do that right away?
For what it’s worth my friend is helping me do bees and he always does the nuc with only the brood box. Once the brood box gets filled out and healthy he adds the super. He does keep a close eye on it to make sure they don’t run out of room.
it is really important to start with just a brood box, only add the Flow Super when the bees reach about 80-90% bee population in the brood box, which is visible as a thick carpet of bees on top. -Kieran
Now I want to learn much more.
I saw a video claiming that if I try to harvest a flow frame before it is fully capped and bees are still working in the chambers I will maim all the bees in the chambers. They stated that you had to pull and inspect every flow frame to make sure it was fully capped before harvesting it. Is this true? Will I injure bees that are still in the chambers when I turn the flow key?
I would like to know too
I wondered the same, I think that video was referring to the first one they made, I think they upgraded it so it doesn't do that now. Search flow hive honey,, a guy reviews the flow hive and its all good.
Hi I have a Bee hive behind my House if I get The Flow Hive would they move in to it. Or do I need to get a Queen to start it, Advise .
Learn about beekeeping before you start. And dont for a second think you need a flow hive. Not until you see the hobby works well enough to spend that kind of money on something you might not even like.
Good stuff, thank you!
In order to extract the Honey from the Flow frames, would it not be beneficial to do the extraction in a separate Flow Hive box ? , as you did with the few Frames you removed, also pin pricking the capped cells with a pin roller, to facilitate a better Honey flow out of the Cells ?, You did it a bit scratching with the Hive Tool, but not opening many Cells.
Hi its best to harvest the Flow Frames on the hive as they have been designed in this way, the bees keep the temperature at about 35ºc/95ºF which keeps wax soft and honey liquid. There is enough of an allowance in the honey trough and tube that you dont need to disturb the capping. Doing so could lead to honey leaking out of capping instead. -Kieran
🧡🐝🧡 that was very educational ! Thanx
Ever since I found out about flow hive I wanted to try it. However, I would like to beekeep Asiatic honey bee because they defend themselves better against predetors such as wasps. I was wondering if flowhive could be used with these bees or are there certain modifications needed.
I thought it was really cool that @Flow Hive took the time to answer your question so thoroughly.
Joe Blazer where can I watch the answer? I asked a question to know the answer and you informed me it has been answered but I can not find this answer.
@@camojoe83 Where can I watch the answer? I asked a question to know the answer and you informed me it has been answered but I can not find this answer.
@@sung-yulpark3258 they didn't answer you, he's being sarcastic. I noticed he's leaving many bitter comments about the flow hive and the expense of them. I prefer everything as natural as possible, but when I see so many people getting into keeping bees that normally wouldn't, how can that be anything but a wonderful addition to preserving the colonies? Everyone does things different, we learn as we go. If it works for you and your blessed to be able to afford it, wonderful. I see them working well in videos of bee keepers. I think they were raising the kind you want to raise. I do wish they'd lower the price. I don't think I can afford one, but I'd like to do a video reviewing one if they sent it to me. God bless 🐝🌻💯💪😀👍🦋🌻🐝❤️
I have heard people claim flow hives are lower stress, so don't cause Japanese bees (whatever they are) to swarm so much in distress... Have you made any experience last year?
How come the boxes do not stack together like legos - so they are secure and align themselves naturally?
Use a bungee cord
When you are harvesting honey, how do you prevent bees from other hives from getting in there and trying to eat out honey from your flowhive? That’s why we take frames away and get the honey taken out elsewhere so we don’t get our bees in danger.
Can you stop the flow if, say, an emergency came up? Great videos, thanks, Christine in Rhode Island, USA
Great question
When I prepare for winter in the UK, should I leave the super on the top before insulation goes around the sides?
Hi there, probably best to check with local beekeepers for their advice, we are in a sub-tropical climate and as such do not need to overwinter our hive - Sam
Do you have any plans to make a Slovenian or AZ style box where you can access the frames from the back instead of the top? I'm wanting to have a Slovenian-style bee house with Flow frames for the honey.
Hey Dan,
Thanks for the question. We love the look of the Slovenian/AZ kinds of hives but don't have ay immediate plans to do this, no, but you can search our online community forum using these keywords and find a good amount of threads from our Flow community who have modified their Flow hives for this style:
forum.honeyflow.com/
I hope this helps, and if you do so we'd love to hear how you go! - Danika
I am getting my bees on Thursday, how to I put them into my flow hive?
Hi Irene,
Sorry for the late reply. Here's a video of how to transfer a nuc to your hive - I hope it's not too late!
ruclips.net/video/fYbciqkH5-Q/видео.html
For quicker responses please email us at info@honeyflow.com
- Danika
Was it Mr. C Hemsworth 😅 Just Saw his video with his bee hive system and loved the idea, but it looked like it was overflowing with honey 🍯 I think you should give him a shout and tell him what's up lol.
Thanks, I purchased one yesterday.
I live in Atlanta, GA and am new beekeeper. I originally wanted to use 2 brood boxes before adding the super. Being in the South the winters are not that long so would it probably be ok to use just one brood box and add on the super? Thanks
Go to dirt rooster's forum and learn bees.
Have you sold any of this hives to Sweden?
Is it best to keep hive in the sun or in the shade or, does it matter.
hey there :) The bees definitely need the hive to be in a lot of sun more so than too much shade, as lots of pests and diseases thrive in the shade.
Ideal would be morning/most of the day full sun, and some afternoon shade is fine.
You can always add shade clothes etc in hotter months as needed.
See more info on factors to consider for locating your hive:
support.honeyflow.com/where-to-locate-your-flow-hive/
- Danika
I'm from Colombia, in South America and I wanted a suggestion, so that they translate the videos into Spanish. Thank you
I'm interested in keeping a hive in the garden for the bees to come home to
Do I need to maintain their hive or can I set and forget
I'd like to set up and leave the bees to go about their lives
Lina Di Pietro no you can’t just leave them
You have to inspect them and check on them regularly
I certainly suggest looking into other hives cause this is too much I’m starting myself I got everything bees and all for less than $600 and this hive is more than that last I checked
Some honey bees can be left to their own devices and do whatever, there are honey bees in the wild. Most bees you’d get online wouldn’t do so well left on their own though, get some local bees and a top bar hive. They should be fine if you treat them for mites twice a year.
@@Ornatetooth0475 but then you still have to buy the equipment for extraction. That's fine if you have several hives, but if you're only wanting one this is a good option.
I have often heard mention of feeding your bees. How, why and when should this be done?
By feeding simple syrup 1:1 sugar trough perforated lids or dedicated feeding frames, after flowers get scarce/havesting given the amount of honey taken from their winter storage in commercial applications.
If you didn't havest you wouldn't need to feed bees at all, when you do it's dependent on their honey stores.
Have you made any experience in the past 8 months?
When I was harvesting I had honey leak out into the tray under the brood box. Was I harvesting too soon?
Hey Kenneth,
Did you inspect the Flow frames first? It could have been so otherwise yes. A little bit of leaking (a teaspoon or two) isn't out of the ordinary but any more and it could be down to harvesting too soon.
You can't tell from the outside observation windows alone whether the frame is ready for harvesting or not so you do need to inspect if you're not sure.
To troubleshoot any further please email us at info@honeyflow.com and we'd be happy to go through it with you. - Danika
Please could you comment about using flow hive in a colder climate, eg Yorkshire, UK. Are there people over here who are using flow hives successfully?
Hey Ruth,
Thanks for getting in touch :) Yes, absolutely - we have Flow beekeepers in many such climates over the world.
We strongly recommend getting connected with your local beekeeping club to get the best climate-specific advice, tips and tricks for your region.
Here is our online directory of Flow-connected clubs and ambassadors, hopefully there's someone near you on it:
www.honeyflow.com.au/pages/bee-club-directory
There's also our online community forum, that even has a section called 'Connect With Locals' which can be a great way to reach out to other Flow beekeepers near you :
forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23
Here's an article on overwintering your hive in colder climates:
www.honeyflow.com.au/blogs/beekeeping-basics/how-to-overwinter-your-beehive
ruclips.net/video/4QjBtY3xlZc/видео.html
Here's a couple of articles from our FAQ pages that are relevant too:
support.honeyflow.com/can-i-use-flow-in-cold-or-freezing-conditions/
support.honeyflow.com/wintering-your-flow-hive/
I hope this helps - also you can always email us at info@honeyflow.com for further help :)
Can you boil runny honey to drive off some moisture?
Hey :) Hmmm, we wouldn't recommend this as it would kill off all of the raw medicinal properties of it.
Sometimes if you harvest a bit too early it can be a bit runny so best to only do this if you really need to, in the event of it being ivy/rapeseed blossom honey that will crystallise if left longer.
Nothing wrong with the occasional batch of runny honey though!
- Danika
If you harvest too early your honey will ferment and turn into mead, what a wonderful mistake
I live in New Orleans Louisiana-USA. Would you make a smaller flow hive for small 35ft x 30 ft backyards. I am working on created nice plants for the bees and butterflies. I still want the easy flow hive that work in this size yard.
Hey Jacqueline,
Thanks for your message. Unfortunately at this time we don't have any imminent plans to make smaller Flow frames. However, our hives can be kept in small locations - see this article for more info on the subject:
support.honeyflow.com/how-much-space-do-i-need-for-a-flow-hive/
I hope this helps :) Danika
I put a queen bee and 4 worker bees in my new auto flow hive. I went to check on the hive which was placed at my friends acreage a few weeks later. I saw bees flying around the area, but the hive was completely devoid of bees. Why did they not like the hive and move to somewhere else?
You mention the word "auto" this is generally linked to fake hives, is it possible you purchased counterfeits as the plastic used in these is not going to be the same food grade quality that we offer, as well as the overall intricate design not able to be fully replicated. support.honeyflow.com/fake-flow-hives/ -Kieran
What's happens if the honey ferments? Can you still eat it?
I thought honey never spoils or rot???
Youd get buzzed🐝off of it
If the box is about a football field away from the house, is it OK for the box to face the house or will the lights at night still pose an issue?
About a football field away is ok, usually within around 20m/65feet a bright light can attract bees if they can see it from their entrance. -Kieran
So where do you put the sugar water in from top of it.?
Yes you can put a feeder in the roof of the hive, there are lots of DIY options too. -Kieran
Very interesting! How I can order one?
You can purchase through our website www.honeyflow.com -Kieran
Exactly what would I ask for when I order the entire package pictured here. Can't fond it on your website.
Hey Jenny,
Can you please email us at info@honeyflow.com with what you're wanting to order and where you are located? We look forward to helping you further.
- Danika
Could you please recommend where to get a good buy on glass jars for our honey?
Where are you located Brad? We use CPak
@@FlowHive NYC
@@FlowHive what is C Pak?
What time period do you recommend when bees start to fill auto hive to harvest
Hey Wayne,
It is a tricky question as the answer depends on so many factors, but please see it answered here:
support.honeyflow.com/how-long-does-it-take-before-i-can-drain-the-honey-from-the-flow-hive/
I hope this helps :) - Danika
how much space should there be between hives?
Can you keep a Flow Hive inside of a grow dome (greenhouse)? I live in Colorado at 7600 ft.
Hi Christine, you can as long as they have enough room to forage, they will need about 5km per day :) - Sam
I’m thinking about starting a flow hive is there any vouchers I could get to have a great read is there a book I can buy please
do i need multiple brood boxes to winter over? located in south eastern virginia area
Hey Kyle,
It really depends on your local climate - the best beekeeping practices vary from region to region so we can't recommend enough the importance of consulting your local beekeeping community.
Here's an online directory of Flow related beekeeping clubs/ambassadors that hopefully has someone on it near you - otherwise just search for your nearest beekeeping club.
www.honeyflow.com/pages/bee-club-directory
There's also a great section in our community forum called Connect With Locals where you can confer with other Flow beekeepers near you.
forum.honeyflow.com/c/connect-with-locals/23
I hope this helps :) - Danika
How long typically does it take from the start to have honey ready to harvest?
Hey Michael,
Please see this article for your question:
support.honeyflow.com/how-long-does-it-take-before-i-can-drain-the-honey-from-the-flow-hive/
I hope it helps! - Danika
Hello how do I put the bees in the broad box from the parcel of bees I just received?
Hey Genevieve,
Please see this page that addresses how to transfer your new colony into the brood box:
support.honeyflow.com/how-can-i-move-my-flow-hive/
Good luck setting up your new hive :) We have lots more info on the same FAQ page above, as well as an online beekeeping course that might interest you, with a free one month's trail - thebeekeeper.org
Good luck! Danika
Just pointing out now nearing the end of the video he speaks about the varroa mite and how it's not in Australia. It is now in Australia as of 2022.
In the US I need to position the hive entrance(s) between the south and the east correct?
Hi Rubie,
I believe in the northern hemisphere this direction is considered a good one as the bees will get a lot of sun... however keep in mind hives have existed in such a vast array of locations/orientations and will adapt to most!
There are other important considerations such as prevailing winds etc. For more detail on the things to consider please see the article below:
support.honeyflow.com/where-to-locate-your-flow-hive/
I hope this helps :) Danika
Sir,for how much distance bees remember their location.and if we are to relocate the hive ,what is minimum distance we can move a hive to new location so that the bees do not move to their original location
Someone posted something about bees not liking plastic. Is that plastic in the extractor area? Or have you used something else to make that? Thanks. Thinking of buying but still know very little about it all.
Hey Deby, thanks for your question.
The Flow frames themselves are made out of the highest quality, food-grade plastic, yep!
Plastic has been used in beekeeping (usually in foundation for brood frames) for generations without any issues. We have found that in some cases, bees will actually build out the Flow Frames first, especially with our Hybrid Flow Hives, which contain a mixture of timber & Flow Frames for honey storage. If regularly harvested, the bees may not end up building the timber frames out until they are left to fill the entire box. Of course every colony is different… Most bee colonies generally do have a preference for building out their own comb from scratch, which is one of the key reasons we like using foundationless frames in the brood box. At Flow, we really love bees, and their safety is of utmost importance, so we only use the highest quality food grade plastics to ensure their safety. Some reports regarding fakes frames have seen very poor quality plastics used, which are quite toxic, it is so unfortunate that unsuspecting customers have been tricked with these knock offs not realising that our genuine Flow Frames are not only premium quality but also safe for the bees.
Here's an article that might provide more information for you on how the Flow frames work:
support.honeyflow.com/how-do-the-flow-frames-work/