Original Flow Hive Review – Pros, Cons and In Depth Analysis

Image Credit: Flow

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In recent years, beekeeping has seen plenty of developments and advancements in both the equipment used and general practices. The Flow Hive is an advancement of the popular Langstroth beehive design. The Flow Hive design makes honey harvesting easy for beekeepers by allowing the honey to be harvested directly from the beehive, eliminating the need for a honey extractor.

History of the Flow Hive

The inventors of the Flow Hive are an Australian duo of father and son – Stuart and Cedar Anderson. They came up with the Flow Hive in their attempt to avoid opening up beehives during honey harvesting. Indeed, the Flow Hive owes its existence to its inventors and crowd-sourcing. In 2015, the inventors launched an Indiegogo campaign seeking to raise $70,000 in funding for the Flow Hive technology development. Within a short period of time, the campaign had far surpassed that goal to receive a whopping $12 million in funding. By the end of the campaign, the inventor duo also had more than 20,000 orders coming from more than 130 countries in the world. This campaign broke a number of Indiegogo records.

Parts of the Flow Hive

A number of components make up the complete Flow Hive. They include the hive itself and the Flow frames. These are patented technology by the inventors – the Andersons. The most conspicuous and functional features of the modern Flow Hive are viewing openings and the Flow frames. The Flow frame which are specifically designed for Flow Hives, incorporates transparent material to allow you see how much honey your bees have stored up, while the clear viewing panels built into the sides of the beehive give you a peek at the frames inside. Additionally, Flow Hives are friendly to bees since they do not get squashed in the process of harvesting honey.

About this Flow Hive Review

The Flow Hive is new, and like any new technology, it has its early adapters as well as its detractors. This Flow Hive review concerns the original beehive released by the company, and will go in depth, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using Flow frames, as well as discussing two of Flow’s signature products – the Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive and the Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Flow Hive. Ultimately, it will be up to you to determine whether the features that the Flow Hive offers will be suitable for your beekeeping journey. With that said, let’s get started.

Advantages of Using Flow Frames

Flow Hive Review - Official Flow Frame Classic 6 - Beehive Frames
The Official Flow Frame Classic 6 – Beehive Frames. Click image to view on Amazon. Image Credit: Flow
An important feature of the Flow Hive is of course the Flow frames. These are specially designed for this type of beehive and are the key component that allows hassle-free harvesting of honey. A Flow frame is made up of partially formed honeycomb cells. Your honeybees fill up the remaining bits of the comb using wax. They then put some honey into the honeycomb cells before capping them. Flow frames are ready for harvesting once they are full of honey and capped. Beekeepers are able to observe this through the clear viewing panels on the Flow hive.
  1. To use a Flow frame, you must use the specially designed key that comes with it. A turn of the key splits the cells in the honeycomb to let honey out. Honey flows down and is collected via a honey-tube. This makes it very easy to package and brand honey. You may collect honey directly into jars, or into tubs. For beekeepers with many Flow hives, a bucket for your honey collection is the best option.
  2. Bees remain undisturbed in a Flow hive. The bees that may be on the surface of cobs are not injured in any way during honey harvesting. There is adequate space for bees between comb walls of flow frames.
  3. Flow frames fit well into standard Langstroth beehives, with both in both 8-frame and 10-frame configurations.
  4. Super boxes in Flow beehives have cutouts through which you can see the flow frames. The cutout can be placed back to cover the peeking space once you have observed how much of the frames are filled with honey.
  5. Flow frames are an easy lot to set up and use. All that is required is a Langstroth beehive. Your old beehives can easily be converted into Flow hives with a few tools. Unlike conventional Langstroth frames, Flow frames never have to leave the beehive one you have installed them. Honey flows freely from the frames while they are still in place. Once you are done harvesting honey, the Flow key returns the frames into position, ready for your bees to fill them with honey again.
  6. Honeybees have to uncap cells and repair some bits of the cells in Flow frames. This is significantly less work than they would need to do with traditional frames after honey extraction. Uncapping using knives and other sharp cutting objects – including serrated edges – does a lot of damage to honey cells. Bees take a long period of time to repair this damage while adding honey in the cells. A beehive with Flow frames has less work and more honey for you since bees take less time to rebuild their stock of honey after every harvesting.

 

Disadvantages of Using Flow Frames

Flow Hive Review - Classic Araucaria 6 Frame - Beehive Super with frames
The Flow Official Super Classic Araucaria 6 Frame – Beehive Super with frames. Click image to view on Amazon. Image Credit: Flow
  1. Flow frames are not an all-roses-story. They have been faulted for a number of reasons. Top on the mind of critics is the way Flow frames are made. Plastic is used in their manufacture. It is a shift from the natural beeswax that forms honeycombs. Wax cleans out impurities from honey, preserves it and protects it from acquiring foreign flavors and aromas. The same cannot be said for plastic. If anything, there are concerns that plastic frames and contact with honey can lead to the honey being contaminated with traces of plastic.
  2. Another disadvantage of Flow frames is that they can disconnect you from beekeeping. Flow technology positions bees as a tank of honey and exposes them to risk of over-exploitation. Beekeepers must take into account that honey is food for the bees. They store it away to use in harsh times. Taking honey from bees is denying them some of their food stock.
  3. Flow frames with their accompanying Flow technology turn away from the generally accepted view that beekeeping is a passion-based venture with some economic return. In its place, Flow technology positions beekeeping as a purely economic activity. Beekeepers that are in it for passion or bee conservation purposes, may not be happy with the way Flow technology is used in beekeeping and opt to not use.
  4. Beekeepers can be an impatient lot with their bees. This is especially noted in amateurs. They may want to harvest honey more often than they should. In their harvesting, they may also take away too much honey and starve their bee colonies. Additionally, seeing honey stocks every time you visit your beehives wrongly influences beekeepers to harvest honey more frequently. The ease with which you can harvest honey with Flow frames, without the risk of stings due to aggravated bees, makes you want to harvest honey more often than you need to. Beekeepers with Flow frames in their beehives increasingly see the beehive as one big barrel of honey. What is there to stop a beekeeper from going to a beehive and extracting a jar of honey every time they want?
  5. Not every Tom, Dick and Harry can afford a Flow Hive. Indeed, the technology is quite expensive. This limits their commercial usefulness despite decreased labor costs and the likely premium prices that honey can fetch in the market. Without a tidy sum leaving your pocket, you may not own a Flow Hive. This is very disheartening for beginners who are attracted to beekeeping in the hope that they will start out with a Flow Hive.
  6. Attracted by the hassle-free beekeeping that Flow Hives wrongly promise, prospective beekeepers soon realize that they must be good at beehive maintenance if they want a healthy colony of bees. Additionally, the large initial setup cost turns away these budding conservationists away from the practice of beekeeping. This is wrong and negatively impacts on the number of beekeepers in the world. Considering that bees are currently in need of protection, prospective beekeepers should be encouraged to join beekeeping so as to raise bee populations, and the cost for doing so should be kept as low as possible.

Despite the negatives that Flow Hives may have in the beekeeping world, they have been purchased the world over and have become centerpieces in apiaries. Beekeepers are treated to a wide variety of Flow Hives in the market (including knockoffs of the original). Those that stand out are the Classic Cedar 6 Frame Flow Hive and the Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Flow Hive.

 

Original Flow Hive Review – Flow Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive

Flow Hive Review - Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive
Image Credit: Flow

The Flow Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive features the patented Flow technology and is touted to be suitable for both beginners and experienced beekeepers. With this beehive, you are able to easily extract honey, without harming bees and without the need of an extractor. The original Flow Hive comes from a desire to reduce the chances of a beekeeper being stung. A bee suit is however still recommended since you will be around bees anyway.

About the Flow Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive

This beehive comes from a history of research and prototypes over a period of more than 10 years. It is made from high quality Western Red Cedar featuring a solid construct, and is manufactured in the USA and Australia. High grade food quality plastic is used in the making of each of the 6 Flow frames. The plastic used is both BPA and BPS free.

The Flow Classic Cedar Beehive weighs 18.7 pounds (8.48 kg) while fully assembled. It measures 19.9 inches x 14 inches x 9.7 inches. There is no smaller model available. Beekeepers looking at reducing costs can modify their existing Langstroth beehives into Flow Hives and add separately purchased Flow frames. It should be noted that the Classic Cedar Beehive does not come with honey collection jars and lids. Furthermore, this Flow Hive is shipped in two boxes. One box contains the wooden components of the beehive, while the other has the Flow frames.

Image credit: Flow 

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Harvesting honey requires you to insert the Flow key and watch as honey effortlessly flows from the beehive into your collecting jars. This beehive allows you to enjoy pure honey within minutes.
  • The beehive has a well-thought out design. It maximizes airflow within the hive while not excessively cooling it. On the part of the beekeeper, keeping the beehive dry at all times ensures that bees have an easy time controlling the humidity of the hive. The beehive rarely has occurrences of mold growing inside.
  • The premium Western Red Cedar is the type of wood used, and it is very sturdy and durable.
  • The Flow beehive has integrated pest management features such as the screened bottom board and observation windows.
  • The beehive features a sturdy and very attractive garbled roof to keep out rainwater and the sun, while being very aesthetically pleasing and stylish.

Cons

  • One weakness of this Flow Hive is that it uses plastic foundation. Africanized bees are not very friendly to plastic foundation and may not readily take to the frames. If this happens, beekeepers will have to improvise and lure the bee swarm to make comb over the plastic foundation.
  • Beekeepers harvest a number of products from their beehives. These include honey and wax. With this Flow beehive, while you are able to collect honey in a seamless easy way, you however, are unable harvest wax from the beehive. This is because the Flow Hive is designed to allow you harvest honey with minimal damage to the honeycomb and with minimized disturbance to your bees. Beekeepers wishing to harvest wax from their beehives, should instead use the traditional frames for Langstroth beehives, not the Flow frames. Luckily, the Flow Classic Cedar Beehive is made to take both the Flow frames as well as traditional frames.
  • While it is marketed towards beginners, this beehive is best suited for professional beekeepers. While it promises hassle-free honey harvest, the it can be quite a befuddling contraption. Amateur beekeepers should practice beekeeping for some time using conventional beehives until they gain some experience. They may then purchase the more technologically advanced Flow Hive later in their beekeeping journey.

Check Price and Availability of the Flow Classic Cedar Beehive

Flow Hive Review - Flow Classic Cedar 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive
Image credit: Flow

Hive Maintenance

Cleaning the Flow frames of the beehive is done by the bees themselves. Any honey that remains in the honey trough, leaks back into the hive via a specially designed gap in the frames. Make sure that the leak-back gap is clear. Bees will take care of the honey that flows back into the hive. A brush is useful in cleaning the honey trough from outside. However, this is not an activity that is required to be done often. Beekeepers using the this Flow beehive in their apiaries may find it to be less intensive on the maintenance practices that must be carried out.

The Flow Hive in the Winter

The cold months of winter are a major concern to beekeepers. With the Flow Classic Cedar Beehive, you may choose leave Flow frames in the super box or remove them. Remember to also remove the queen excluder. If you opt to remove the Flow frames, it is recommended that you wash them with some warm water and let them dry fully. Store them in a dry, cool and dark place over the winter. If your super is full of honey in the winter, your bees will not starve. Removing the queen excluder ensures that the queen will access the stored honey that acts as a food reserve in winter. If the queen cannot access the honey, she will die. Once it gets warmer, be sure to return the queen excluder and make sure the queen is in the brood box.

Further Thoughts

Flow Hives are good for both beginner and professional beekeepers. Importantly however, the art of beekeeping and properly taking care of bees and their beehive is still required, just as it is for any other beehive. The Flow Classic Cedar Beehive is no exception; you need to be a good beekeeper to enjoy its full benefits. The Flow system only makes it easier to collect honey.

Beekeepers are advised to paint the Flow Classic Cedar Beehive with a layer or two of weatherproofing material. These may be paints or sealants. Once you have painted over the beehive, allow it a day or two for the fumes to dissipate before housing your bees. The roof of the beehive is the area most exposed to the elements. Take additional care in protecting it. Flow suggests that you add a skillion roof over the beehive. If you do this, be sure to allow sunlight onto the entrance of the beehive.

Flow guarantees customer satisfaction and invites them to an exclusive Flow community. In the community are numerous resources to help both beginner and experienced beekeepers in their beekeeping journey. Additionally, Flow has a customer support service that does its best to support beekeepers who reach out to them.

Check Price

 

Original Flow Hive Review – Flow Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive

Flow Hive Review - Flow Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive
Image credit: Flow

About the Flow Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive

The Flow Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive is made of Araucaria pine wood. This type of wood is strong and durable. It is friendly to bees and does not impart flavors or foreign aromas to honey. Araucaria wood is known for its beauty, texture and fineness. It is of a light yellow color. Araucaria is a loved and very effective wood for making of beehives. It is no wonder that this excellent pine species has been used in making the of this beehive.

There are a total of 6 Flow frames in the Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive. These frames are made of clear plastic using Flow technology. They are adequate for honey storage in your beehive super boxes within the beehive.

This beehive has a wooden exterior. It is built in the Langstroth design and incorporates honey Flow technology. The Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive features features clear panels on the sides of the hive that make observation of activities very easy. You will easily know when your super box is full of honey – ready for harvesting. The 6 frames each have their attendant honey collecting tubes to be used during harvesting.

Wooden slats make up the gabled roof of the Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive. They are placed in a double sloped roof to keep out the rain, wind and sunlight. The slats are securely held in place and do their job well. This all goes to show how solidly the beehive is built and the amount of thought that went into its design. The joints of the hive are also firm and very strong. They are reinforced in some places to give the hive that extra sturdiness that beekeepers are looking for in their beehives. The hive is strong, sturdy and very solidly built to give it durability.

Flow Hive Review - Flow Classic Araucaria 6 Frame Langstroth Beehive
Image credit: Flow

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • The Flow frame technology allows honey to pour out of the beehive without causing injury to any bees. The honey that comes from the hive is pure and unprocessed. It does not require filtering since it does not contain any wax in it or other impurities. This feature of Flow Hives is what makes them very popular with beekeepers.
  • Beekeepers are free to add to the beehive as they please. It easily takes on an extra brood box. An additional super box for honey is also easy to add to this Flow Hive. With a larger colony of bees, you have higher chances of colony survival, better hive protection and they are able to make larger amounts of honey in comparatively shorter periods of time.
  • The beehive comes with a printed flow manual. This is great for first-time users of Flow Hives. The manual is very handy in understanding the hive and how to use it. It largely removes the possibility of anything going wrong with it.
  • The Araucaria wood used in making the beehive is sustainably harvested. Precision laser technology is used in manufacturing the hive to minimize wastage of this precious resource and keep the hive very environmental friendly. The naturally grown wood used in making each Flow Classic Beehive gives every individual hive its unique character.

Cons

  • The biggest letdown of the this Flow Hive is that you are denied beeswax, which is one of the products of a beehive. Beekeepers that target beeswax as one of the benefits of their beekeeping are left out.
  • As with the Flow Classic Cedar Beehive, a weakness of this Flow beehive is that it uses plastic foundation. Africanized bees are not very friendly to plastic foundation and may not readily take to the frames. If this happens, beekeepers have to improvise and lure the bee swarm to make comb over the plastic foundation.
  • To make sure that beehive lasts for long, Flow advises that beekeepers weatherproof it. Beekeepers with varying levels of skills may do this easily by using sealants such as varnish or exterior house paint. Your creativity is allowed to go into the paint job. Since the wood used on the beehive is stable and durable, weatherproofing it will ensure that the beehive accompanies you in your beekeeping journey for a long time. This beehive is suitable for professional beekeepers. Those who have some experience in beekeeping – but are not yet pros – may also be suited by one or two of these flow Hives. Beginners may find it difficult working with Flow Hives.

Check Price and Availability of the Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive

Image credit: Flow

Further Thoughts

Included with the the Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive are Flow frames, the Flow key, a complete Flow Hive and the other bits that go into it such as a queen excluder, inner cover and entrance reducer. The bottom of the beehive is made of a screened bottom board. A single brood box and super box are included. You may add the number of boxes of each type depending on your individual preference as a beekeeper. More brood boxes mean larger colonies of honey bees. A large colony of honeybees is better at colony health, hive security and honey production. You must however take into account that a larger colony of honeybees in your hive, will require more honey to survive during the cold months of winter.

The Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive measures 19.9 inches x 14 inches x 9.7 inches. It is 45.4 (20.6 kg) pounds heavy in shipping. Once you unpack the package and assemble beehive, you can easily move it to your preferred location. You may however not so easily do this once the Flow Hive is colonized by a swarm of bees and contains honey.

Flow warns its existing and potential customers of imitations that are increasingly permeating the market. They are the only registered producers of Flow Hives. Flow honey harvesting technology is patented. The Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive is an authentic Flow Hive built in Australia and comes with a 12 month warranty calculated from the date of delivery. It also comes with excellent customer support from a friendly and very knowledgeable team at Flow. Support for the beehive can be accessed both online and offline. Additionally, there exists a large resourceful online community that is ready to assist you with the practical details of beekeeping using beehive.

The Flow Classic Araucaria Beehive is made in Australia. This includes the wooden parts of the beehive and the plastic Flow frames included. The hive does not come assembled. It is shipped flat-packed and unsealed. Beekeepers need to assemble the hive and seal it to protect the beehive’s wood from environmental elements. The order arrives in two separate boxes – one having the wooden parts of the beehive and the other containing the plastic Flow frames. Assembly takes an average of 2 hours and is greatly aided by the instructions manual that includes graphics.

Check Price Check Price (Australia)

 

Conclusion

Flow Hives make it not only easy to harvest honey, but also they also produce very clear honey. The honey that flows out does not need sieving. It is free of quashed bees, wax and other impurities. Harvesting honey has traditionally been an exercise that had a number of downsides which are all but eliminated by Flow Hives. Quashed bees, angry colonies and tedious processes of removing frames and later returning them after honey extraction are no more with the Flow Hive.

Flow Hives make it a little safer to harvest honey and inspect your beehive. Observation panels mean that you do not have to open up the whole hive to take a peek inside. This should however not be taken to mean that beekeepers do not need protective equipment. Even with a Flow Hive, you need to invest in protective wear since all that is needed is one angry bee and you will get stung. It should be noted that experience, expertise and knowledge of beekeeping are not thrown out of the window when you use a Flow Hive.

To maintain a healthy colony, you must read up about beekeeping, interact with beekeepers and stack up your years of beekeeping experience. Without proper knowledge of beekeeping and beehive maintenance, you will have either a poorly performing colony of bees in your Flow Hive. Such a colony is susceptible to diseases, pests and attacks by predators.

Experienced beekeepers who have worked with Flow Hives should readily share their beekeeping knowledge and skills with beginners. Despite its inability to give you wax as one of the beehive products would usually get, a Flow Hive is a great addition to your apiary due to its ease of maintenance, simplified honey harvesting, and the high degree of honey purity that it affords beekeepers.

Do you own the Flow Hive? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of it.

About Michael Simmonds

Michael Simmonds is an American beekeeper with more than two decades of experience in beekeeping. His journey with bees began in his youth, sparking a lifelong passion that led him to start his own apiary at the tender age of 15. Throughout the years, Simmonds has refined his beekeeping skills and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge concerning honeybee biology and behavior. Simmonds' early exposure to beekeeping ignited a fascination with these pollinators, influencing his decision to establish BeeKeepClub in 2016. The website was created with the aim to serve as the ultimate resource for beginners interested in beekeeping. Under Simmonds' guidance, BeeKeepClub provides comprehensive information to novices, including the basics of beekeeping, the different types of bees and hives, the selection of hive locations, and the necessary beekeeping equipment. In addition, the site offers detailed reviews of beekeeping tools to help enthusiasts make informed decisions and get the best value for their investment​​. His contributions to the beekeeping community through BeeKeepClub are substantial, offering both educational content and practical advice. The website covers a wide array of topics, from starting an apiary to harvesting honey, all reflecting Simmonds' extensive experience and passion for the field. Simmonds’ approach is hands-on and educational, focusing on the importance of understanding bees and the environment in which they thrive. His work not only guides beginners through their beekeeping journey but also reflects a commitment to the well-being of bees. Michael Simmonds has dedicated a significant part of his life to bees and beekeeping, and through BeeKeepClub, he has made this knowledge accessible to a broader audience. His work undoubtedly embodies a blend of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in the realm of beekeeping.
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Calvin Walker
Calvin Walker
4 years ago

I just purchased a Flow hive. Been researching beekeeping for about a year. It is something Im interested in for retirement. Just from my observation of the flow hive and material I have read and watched, I do not believe it “detaches” you from the bees. Quiet the opposite really. The one thing I noticed was, when a person bought a Flow hive, they usually purchase another one. I am soon to get a hive of bees shortly and am looking forward to raising them.

John A
John A
4 years ago
Reply to  Calvin Walker

Hi Calvin, I was interested to read your comments as I am looking to move in my early retirement to a rural acreage and would love to keep Bee’s. But I don’t want to have to invest the time and money with extractors etc so the Flow Hive really tickled my interest. I also love it when passionate people innovate such as the Andersons have done here. Like you I think the criticism that Flow Hive will detach you from the Bee’s and potentially reduce the number of people getting into bee keeping sounds like complete hogwash. Seems to me… Read more »

Rick Rapirio
Rick Rapirio
2 years ago
Reply to  John A

I think the comment about being detached from your bees is somewhat true, but also partly not true. First of all, it is assumed that this product works for most people. It doesn’t. I personally know a lot of people in universities who have tried these and maybe 3% have got them to work. All the positive glowing reviews are not real. They are company manipulating within the google atmosphere. Second of all, my personal experience with these was brought on by my interest in new products. I’m the “try it out guy” in our club, so I do all… Read more »

Rick Rapirio
Rick Rapirio
2 years ago
Reply to  Calvin Walker

Most people have not been able to make these work. Also, the Chinese knockoff seems to work better, but still not successfully. I’ve tried both and our club has them. 13 master beekeepers cannot get them to work in three years, different apiaries, different hives, and different strains of bees. Bottomline, it’s dumb luck if they actually work.

Hermanus
Hermanus
1 year ago
Reply to  Rick Rapirio

Hi Rick, I am Harry and I have 4 Flow hives and they work very well for me. I just harvested 80kg of honey from 3 hives and the taste was fantastic I go two distinct flavoured honeys. I have never been a honey eater until now it is far better than the shop bought stuff. I am wondering what is going on with your hive. I would really like to help as a person who has had great success with my hives. kind regards Harry,

Lyn
Lyn
8 months ago
Reply to  Calvin Walker

I agree. At first it was to get honey but being forced to learn how to be a good beekeeper before I purchase my flow hive I now have a huge appreciation for bees and their role in nature. I can’t wait to start now.

Lyn
Lyn
8 months ago
Reply to  Calvin Walker

P.S. I like the hybrid option as you can still harvest honey comb also if you remove the plug in the roof the bees will make comb in the roof area

Anja
Anja
3 years ago

Do all the flow-hives look like dolls houses ?

Geoff
Geoff
3 years ago

I have two Flow hives plus the original crowd funding one that I have sold. I am not happy with them at all. I think their marketing is misleading. These are the problems I encountered so far: 1.Roof leak. They can leak really bad depends how much they warp, or crack. Flow replaced led the shingles only. 2. One baseboard was very poorly assembled with one riser fitted in angle and the brood box won’t fit properly on it. Flow said that with the weight of the hive it will sort itself out. It never did. 3. Brood box had… Read more »

Rick Rapirio
Rick Rapirio
2 years ago
Reply to  Geoff

I had the exact same issues, and was one of the ones banned for simply posting my notes of all the tips the factory gave me for trying to make it work. Yup, they don’t want to let the truth get out. It’s a scam, plain and simple.

Lyn
Lyn
8 months ago
Reply to  Geoff

Hi Geoff
This was disappointing to read I was looking forward to buying one.
I had a question and still haven’t received any information back from Flow. Which makes me a bit worried. I will be thinking seriously before I outlay any money.

Will Johnston
Will Johnston
3 years ago

Hi, I am looking at getting a beehive and I am starting to lean towards a flow hive. I am just curious of what hive you would recommend.
Thanks

john
john
3 years ago

Hi, I’m doing a school assessment and need to reference this website, when was it published? Many thanks 🙂

john
john
3 years ago

Thanks!

Hut Projects
Hut Projects
2 years ago

The grammar, missing words & spelling is so bad in this write up….

Dennis
Dennis
2 years ago

How does the flow hive prevent the larva from damage when its harvesting time

Rick Rapirio
Rick Rapirio
2 years ago
Reply to  Dennis

Simple answer….Queen excluder between your supers and brood boxes. I also put another entrance shim on top of Queen excluder so the foragers can go right into the supers. I have also cut little entrance holes in supers instead of using shims. Both work well and you don’t have brood in the supers.

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David
David
2 years ago

I have a flowhive2 that we have had for a little over 2 years. It was painted with good outdoor paint and it has weathered so badly it has split. The box’s have also warped, nothing sits square. I asked Flowhive to cover the super box under warranty, but was told no. Apparently you need to paint the timber every 12 months, which is ridiculous. They wanted $179 for a replacement flat pack super. You can buy an entire hive assembled just about for that price which are much better quality. I can honestly say that I regret buying the… Read more »

Rick Rapirio
Rick Rapirio
2 years ago
Reply to  David

You can buy competitor flow frames as replacements off Amazon or other places on the internet for a lot less money. However, those don’t work either.

Hermanus
Hermanus
1 year ago
Reply to  Rick Rapirio

Rick please contact me and let us see if the two of us can fix things for you, I genuinely wish to help I have learned a few tricks to make things a little easier. I would love to share them with you. I can assure you the Flow Hive does work well’ .

Hermanus
Hermanus
1 year ago
Reply to  David

G’Day David. Unfortunately there are not many instructions provided by FH about preparing the FH for assembly. I have learned the 5 Ps apply prior planning prevents piss poor performance. I have learned, it does not matter how much paint one puts on the hive and how effectively it is put on, unless you treat the hive for anti fungal and water damage it will eventually deform and rot. My dad was a house painter by trade and from Europe. He brought up 12 children, I think there isn’t one my siblings who does not know the best way to… Read more »

Lyn
Lyn
8 months ago
Reply to  David

It’s a shame because it does cut out a lot of work harvesting honey which is what interests me

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