Flow Hive Success Stories?

[JazzJPH]

Hi everyone,

I'd be interested in knowing of any members with Flow Hives that have had really good experiences year on year.

A relative of mine wants to start up beekeeping with Flow Hives. Although I find them interesting, I would still prefer the more "traditional" method (National box etc.) when I finally get set up. As a newbie I am still keen on learning as much as I can about the various methods of beekeeping.

So if anyone has had years of positive Flow Hive experience I would love to hear more

 

[For want of a better word]

I have yet to see any honey taken from a Flow hive using the split frame Flow system, here in Cornwall ( or Devon for that matter!!)
This may be due to the system being taken up by new beekeepers, who would possibly have not got much of a crop of honey even if they had used "traditional" beekeeping methods.
I nearly laid my sticky paws on a Flow hive to evaluate...but before I could get to it it sold on ebay for a song.
Provided two nucs and got them going on the Langstroth's frames in the Flow body for a new beekeeper a couple of years back... she would not take good advice and failed to feed them.... " look there is fields of clover... plenty of forage.. the girls can feed themselves"....

Interesting to hear of any successes elsewhere in the UK where there is better forage??

 

[Anduril]

This has been posted on the forum. https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38041&highlight=Flow+hive

 

[JazzJPH]

This has been posted on the forum. https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38041&highlight=Flow+hive

Thanks Anduril,

I had a read through that. It's quite an interesting experience. I'd like to know if other members have seen success too. Unfortunately digging through that thread was a bit difficult as it went a little off-topic.

 

[JazzJPH]

I have yet to see any honey taken from a Flow hive using the split frame Flow system, here in Cornwall ( or Devon for that matter!!)
This may be due to the system being taken up by new beekeepers, who would possibly have not got much of a crop of honey even if they had used "traditional" beekeeping methods.
I nearly laid my sticky paws on a Flow hive to evaluate...but before I could get to it it sold on ebay for a song.
Provided two nucs and got them going on the Langstroth's frames in the Flow body for a new beekeeper a couple of years back... she would not take good advice and failed to feed them.... " look there is fields of clover... plenty of forage.. the girls can feed themselves"....

Interesting to hear of any successes elsewhere in the UK where there is better forage??

From what I've seen I think you're correct regarding Flow Hive being used mainly by beginners with big dreams and little preparation. I'm no expert, but I was initially tempted by the Flow Hives. I just kept watching beekeeping videos and learning more about it. I still watch them and read up on it almost daily. Just from what I have seen and read I am heavily leaning toward a standard National (or similar) hive with nothing fancy. It seems that kind of configuration gets the most support in the forums too as it's the most commonly used.

Throwing it out there - have any experienced beekeepers used a Flow Hive and find it's now their preference?

 

[Anduril]

For a more informed view you could sign up with the flow hive forum and speak to UK based flow hive users.

 

[domino]

From what I've seen I think you're correct regarding Flow Hive being used mainly by beginners with big dreams and little preparation. I'm no expert, but I was initially tempted by the Flow Hives. I just kept watching beekeeping videos and learning more about it. I still watch them and read up on it almost daily. Just from what I have seen and read I am heavily leaning toward a standard National (or similar) hive with nothing fancy. It seems that kind of configuration gets the most support in the forums too as it's the most commonly used.

Throwing it out there - have any experienced beekeepers used a Flow Hive and find it's now their preference?

I was put off simply by the price. At £385 per super, it didn't make sense. Harvesting the honey has always been the least onerous task for me in beekeeping.

 

[For want of a better word]

For a more informed view you could sign up with the flow hive forum and speak to UK based flow hive users.

Or
http://www.------------/forum/

some informative discussion there?


link blocked
Full of advertising so you will have to do your own research!

 

[JazzJPH]

For a more informed view you could sign up with the flow hive forum and speak to UK based flow hive users.

Could do, although I don't fancy signing up to loads of forums. I may have a browse through their but I suspect they may be biased. I quite like it here too.

I was put off simply by the price. At £385 per super, it didn't make sense. Harvesting the honey has always been the least onerous task for me in beekeeping.

Yeah it seems quite an expensive piece of kit. Maybe it pays for itself a few years down the line as you're not hiring/running all the extraction kit and spending a lot of time with the knives, filters etc.?
Then again, maybe not

 

[Beefriendly]

Yeah it seems quite an expensive piece of kit. Maybe it pays for itself a few years down the line as you're not hiring/running all the extraction kit and spending a lot of time with the knives, filters etc.?
Then again, maybe not

I think that is a "may be not" at nearly £400 a super.
Strong hives can require 3-4 supers on them when there is a strong nectar flow. Not only do they need this space to store and process all the nectar but also overnight parking space for all the bees.
You can buy a complete poly hive with floor, brood box, 2 supers, roof etc etc and still get change from £130.

 

[JazzJPH]

I think that is a "may be not" at nearly £400 a super.
Strong hives can require 3-4 supers on them when there is a strong nectar flow. Not only do they need this space to store and process all the nectar but also overnight parking space for all the bees.
You can buy a complete poly hive with floor, brood box, 2 supers, roof etc etc and still get change from £130.

Is that price for a used poly hive?

If I were to go the flow route I wouldn't be buying supers. I'd just buy the frames (7 pack for £150ish) and make the box to fit, or retrofit to another box if possible.

There's still a price gap and I'm still not swaying toward a Flow Hive, yet it highlights that people are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be a less time-consuming piece of kit.

 

[Beefriendly]

Is that price for a used poly hive?
.

No, that is the price for a brand new one.
See https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/poly-hives-national/poly-hives-national/
or https://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/pol.../complete-poly-national-hive-empty-no-frames/

 

[pargyle]

Is that price for a used poly hive?

If I were to go the flow route I wouldn't be buying supers. I'd just buy the frames (7 pack for £150ish) and make the box to fit, or retrofit to another box if possible.

There's still a price gap and I'm still not swaying toward a Flow Hive, yet it highlights that people are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be a less time-consuming piece of kit.

It seems that flow hives were principally purchased in the UK by people new to beekeeping ... the hyped advertising with a little girl in a sun dress taking honey straight from the flow hive tube onto her cornflakes belied the truth that:

a) Bees can sting,
b) You still need some basic knowledge to successfully keep bees.

It was disturbing, at the time, to see how many people were taken in by the marketing and failed to appreciate that there's a bit more to it than throwing some bees into a box and turning a handle ..

Complete the missing letters ... F_ _ls a_d th_ _r mo_ _y a_e s_ _n pa_t_d.

 

[Millet]

Is that price for a used poly hive?

If I were to go the flow route I wouldn't be buying supers. I'd just buy the frames (7 pack for £150ish) and make the box to fit, or retrofit to another box if possible.

There's still a price gap and I'm still not swaying toward a Flow Hive, yet it highlights that people are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be a less time-consuming piece of kit.

To be honest Jazz i have never heard a good comment about those contraptions..you are best sticking with a hive type that has been tried and tested for many yeas in this country..
I prefare National poly hives and so do many other folk..

 

[Poly Hive]

In my last two evening classes there have been starry eyed flow hive enthusiasts who assured me it was the future.

I said well, let's discuss this the last evening shall we.

So come the last night and oddly they had gone off the idea though I made a point of not mentioning them.

PH

 

[domino]

Is that price for a used poly hive?

If I were to go the flow route I wouldn't be buying supers. I'd just buy the frames (7 pack for £150ish) and make the box to fit, or retrofit to another box if possible.

There's still a price gap and I'm still not swaying toward a Flow Hive, yet it highlights that people are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be a less time-consuming piece of kit.

Has extracting honey on an amateur scale ever been hard work? For the price of a few flow supers, you can buy an electric extractor.

That's what I never got about the flow hive, it was solving a none problem. No doubt a very clever bit of engineering but an expensive solution to a problem I've hardly heard mentioned.

 

[JazzJPH]

No, that is the price for a brand new one.
See https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/poly-hives-national/poly-hives-national/
or https://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/pol.../complete-poly-national-hive-empty-no-frames/

Thanks for the links. I'm liking the look and price of the Abelo.

To be honest Jazz i have never heard a good comment about those contraptions..you are best sticking with a hive type that has been tried and tested for many yeas in this country..
I prefare National poly hives and so do many other folk..

Yeah I'm struggling to find anyone with years of experience who would stick with Flow hives.

Has extracting honey on an amateur scale ever been hard work? For the price of a few flow supers, you can buy an electric extractor.

That's what I never got about the flow hive, it was solving a none problem. No doubt a very clever bit of engineering but an expensive solution to a problem I've hardly heard mentioned.

I've no experience in extracting honey, but to me the idea of extracting honey initially seems a daunting and messy task - so it's easy to understand why newbies would see the Flow Hive and dive straight in.

 

[Millet]

I've no experience in extracting honey, but to me the idea of extracting honey initially seems a daunting and messy task - so it's easy to understand why newbies would see the Flow Hive and dive straight in.

Extracting honey from frames is a pain in the Arse...that IS until we get the hang of it..still a pain in the arse though.. ha..

 

[Pennyfold Bees]

I kept bees in UK then 5 years ago I moved to Sydney, Australia and I’m an active member of a beekeeping club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
I was strongly against Flow hives due to their early marketing message “less invasive” and therefore “better for bees” however refusing to talk about managing the brood, which is far more invasive and frequent than removing supers for extraction. I believe Flow have recognised the negative impact they had with new beekeepers buying a hive and not inspecting, e.g. an increase in cases of AFB in Australia.
In the last year or two Flow have donated a hive to many of the beekeeping clubs in Australia to help local clubs teach newbees about managing hives including Flow. Our club apiary days focus very much on managing the brood. We don’t recommend Flow or any hive but explain the pros and cons of each.
There’s still the high up front cost buying a Flow and given our club loans extractor for free to members you don’t need to buy/store extractor. We also have a honey press for TBH owners.
One key advantage I see of the Flow hive is the ability to extract each frame individually. You can really see and taste the differences in the honey between each frame, given the bees fill the middle first and work outward, with different trees flowing, honey from Flow has more distinct flavour than traditional extraction where it’s all in a bucket together.
Wonder if UK amateur clubs could contact Flow to see if they would provide a similar free hive?
Giles

 

[Anduril]

One key advantage I see of the Flow hive is the ability to extract each frame individually. You can really see and taste the differences in the honey between each frame, given the bees fill the middle first and work outward, with different trees flowing, honey from Flow has more distinct flavour than traditional extraction where it’s all in a bucket together.

The UK Flow hive owners have said the same.