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I have not regretted buying them and looking forward to opening them up in a few weeks when warm enough. Having a peak through the clear crown boards, the colonies still have quite a bit of stores.

Thanks - more to come in 2024!

They sell these as food grade plastics in all store fronts in the USA. In order to do so the plastic must meet FDA and USDA standards. When they Chinese auto flow first came out they were indeed cheap plastics that leeched into the honey. However because of it the sales declined and in order to compete with the real Flow frames the manufacturers of Auto Flow from China chose to start to produce plastics that meet the minimum FDA and USDA standards. Still original Flow frames are likely better in quality, but there is no need to worry about the toxicity of the Chinese copies. The entire stock would be pulled from the US market if even one frame were to be discovered to not be actual food grade when they are sold as such. I’m sure original Flow already would have taken the steps to have it removed from market if the plastics were not of food grade material. Flow would probably love to have their only competitor removed from the largest beekeeping supply market in the world. Hope this helps.

With flow frames, you leave them in the hive once you have extracted the honey - having made sure you turned the key the close the cells in the frames. Within a few minutes, the bees will start removing all the capping as they realise the cells are not full. They cleverly clean and seal the cells again before refilling with nectar and their process of making honey resumes again, and once sealed, you can harvest your next batch. I like keeping the honey from each frame in separate jars, as you can taste the differences from frame to frame - based on the flowers they visit when filling each frame in turn. Honey Roulette - every spin is a nice sweat win!

This is an Old Castle Farm Hives Ventilated suit. 3 Seasons on and still recommend them. My review can be watched on this Chanel: watch Episode 2021.06

Thank you for your comments. The two key differences is that the Chinese Autoframe manufacture does not confirm the plastic food safety to the same levels as the Australian Flow Frames, and key point is that the Chinese AutoFrames are slightly bigger than a standard Langstroth and you do need to remove a single blade and rewire for them to fit a Langstroth box. The Australian FlowFrames fit first time, though do cost significantly more. If you do not mind the additional effort and not concerned about potential plastic leaching that the Australian FlowFrames claim will not happen with their frames, then the Chinese AutoFrames are a worthy consideration. For clarity I paid full price for both sets of frames and have no incentives from either supplier thus the video reflects my personal views. Enjoy watching.

They’re not.

I agree that the best strategy to avoid swarms is to do early splits. This is what I have been doing this year with success

I can agree with your sentiment about plastic, however I believe as with many things in life there is a judgement as to different factors. My ethos is using ‘plastic’ that would be used for more than just a decade, as well as to limit disturbance of the colony when harvesting, which would be significant greater when removing frames to extract as what is now ‘the normal method’. Flow hives do not need storage containers (usually plastic), sieves (regularly plastic or metal) or fine mesh filters/strainers (usually plastic, linen or cotton). Further I refer to my concerns about leaching of plastic ‘chemicals, in my videos (2022.08 & 2022.09) about different ‘flow’ type frames and am clear they are made from plastics. I am however comfortable that the original Australian ‘Flow Frames’ do not do ‘leach’ based on research I have seen about the ‘food grade’ plastic they use, even after a number of years of use. I do clearly question this fact about other ‘flow-type’ brands as they make no such claims. Not all plastic is the same, and avoiding where appropriate must be encouraged. Plastic should I agree be used after consideration and balancing the pros and cons for your apiary, the bees, consumers of the honey and the wider environment. I avoid plastic jars/squeazy bears and plastic in labels for this reason, however I have not found a plastic free way of storing and selling comb…. If anyone does, please let me know.

Anthony, glad you enjoyed the video. You can buy these Long Hives from brother Dean and Matt Shepherd at Hyde Hives (hydehives.co.uk/collections/our-hives). I do not believe they make the Flow Hive variant any longer, however they are beautiful. Do let them know you saw my videos

In the Long Hive I have, we have a specific are towards the middle of the double hive, where each hive comes together, which has been purposely designed by Hyde Hives to hold Flow Frames. The frames are lowered into the hive just like the other ‘traditional’ frames. Do watch our Episodes 2022.08 and 2022.09 to learn more. Enjoy watching - it is all about the bees!

I contacted the local Beekeeping Association that I am a Member of. I ended up giving (free of charge) two Swarms/Nucs to a new beekeeper to help them start

That's so kind, I wish you luck

Peter, I agree there are many potential advantages of the flow hive system. Disadvantages include that they are of course made with plastic, should be avoided to collect honey from rapid crystallising honey - thus I avoid for Rape/Canola and Ivy here in UK. I thus leave tte spring honey for the bees and use the flow frames for the Summer harvest - knowing they now have plenty of stores.

That is a shame as they are well made - though did cost quite a bit more, though well worth it! I know they have so many orders of their hives, I don’t think they have time to also make these. Dean said it takes a lot linger to make them than a standard frame long hive. Thanks for subscribing… more to follow

Hi Joseph, I was aware of this and after this Video, I used a new microphone. Subsequent episodes ought have better audio. Apologies

Thanks Mo AI!

Glad you enjoyed the review Marty B, they have been lovely hives to work with too. Thanks for subscribing.

Thanks MMB! I will do as suggested for my other set of Flow Frames. I used boiling water a few times to wash the brush, pouring through a muslin mesh offer weeds (killed them) to catch the wax. Your approach is a lot easier! Thanks

I will still have them going in to Winter with 11 Brood Frames. The UK Winters are not usually very cold and that will be all that is needed. Due to the scales on the hives, if they get through the stores over Winter, I will be able to add Fondant on top of the crown board, which they can eat. Spring 2022, the colony had lots of remaining stores after a fairly typical Winter for Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

I plan to dismantle them, remove a blade and then reassemble them. They ought then be a little smaller and should hopefully fit. May do another video as to how I do this - though will only use the frames next year now.

The bees will remove the wax and put it where it needs to be to seal the cell. He did align the cells properly.

Melvyn, all will be explained in this Episode I did about the Flow Type Frames: th-cam.com/video/oak71ie2ZIc/w-d-xo.html

Always fun trying to catch a Swarm. They were so docile and now a great colony of mine

@@NaturalRawHoneyBees every time I see a new video in your channel, I learn something new, thank you... Hope I can start beekeeping soon.

Thanks RBR Greenie. In was going to look into this over the Winter, so good to know it can be done! May make a video showing this, though rather annoying that they do not fit into a Langstroth Hive, as the Australian once fit so well and easilty.

@@NaturalRawHoneyBees I have a few of the autoflow hives, if your chinese frames are the same you will probably need to put a peice of timber above the key area to stop bees from flying out when you go to harvest. Other than that I haven't had any problems with mine oner the last two years.

@@RBRGreenie thanks for the tip, will wait to use them next year now, and will look out to ‘plug the gap’

More to follow David, let’s hope for a harvest from the Flow Frames this year! Thanks for Subscribing

Thanks Osbourne

I would love to have used them to compare… the cost is a significant factor, however not being able to fit them into the hive is more so. 🐝

So am I, however probably a sign about the different standards to detail - quite a key one! Would have been interesting to try the two frames side by side… Having measured the two frames - the Chinese versions are larger than a standard Langstroth frame / Australian Flow Frames by +-5mm!

Thanks Dave

As of Early May 2022, based on the cost for both in GBP, the different cost was GB£415 Vs GB£144 Euro470 Vs Euro 164 US$555 Vs US$193 AU$740 Vs AU$256 ..... though watch next episode first... Prices may be different based on local/regional websites.

Thanks Mo.... let's watch the next episode... it has a twist!

Agree that in UK you cannot market ‘Raw Honey’ as not legal to do so under UK labelling regulations. Our Chanel is called ‘Natural Raw Honey Bees’, we are not referring to Raw Honey. This reflects our ethos to generally manage our hives naturally - this does not mean we will never treat , though to only do so if we believe necessary. We do not filter or heat the honey we sell. I believe that most people would (not legally speaking) accept that ‘Raw’ is unfiltered and usually unheated. In UK ‘Natural Honey’ and/or ‘Pure Honey’ can to be used on Honey Labels, not ‘Raw Honey’. Other countries I accept do allow the use of ‘Raw Honey’ on labels and for marketing purposes, and everyone should check what their labelling regulations allow/do not allow. Copy of the UK regulations can be read here: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1348/pdfs/uksi_20151348_en.pdf 🐝

Joshua, suggestion was to call one Queen “Hydee”, as the hives are made by Hyde Hives… I love the play of words 😄🐝. I hope you are enjoying the videos and your own Beekeeping too.

@@NaturalRawHoneyBees Thank you. I don't bee keep at this time, but later when I'm able I will. Yes I love your content, and I learned from your video that the bees from the previous hive made into a nuke with the caped queen will fly back to the original hive, but the emerging bees and queen will take that hive as theirs. I learned one more thing from your video, but I forgot. I'll have to take another look at your video because what I learned is important to me. I live in London, so high from the south!

JK, this is our hobby and the hives are in our home Apiary / Bee Yard, thus we enjoy looking and a lot easier to work these Long Hives, with no need for extraction equipment either - space saving. You can enjoy watching with out any price tag. 🐝

Agreed - you ought notice the audio improves as I got a new microphone. Thanks for your feedback and to know we tried to resolve it in future Episodes

I am afraid I do not have a copy of the hive plans, though really find it easy to work and no lifting of supers / boxes will be an added bonus!

@@NaturalRawHoneyBees so how did you manage to make it

Abrar, Dean Shepherd at hydehives.co.uk made both hives. They do not have the Flow version on their website, however speak to Matt Shepherd (brother) they will make to order - sustainably

Thanks Chris - It was good to have him join me in the Family's Home Apiary / Bee Yard! Glad you are enjoying following our Beek Story

We are too, though will NOT use this technique! 🐝

Dean and Simon Shepherd make these - they do not ‘advertise’ the flow version, though they do make them - as with everything - to order in pine or English grown cedar. They are very well made and easy to use.

Tim, I love the names and as we split the colony in 2022, May well use your suggestions! My daughter does like going back to watch this and other episodes - special moments and if they can learn too, never a bad opportunity to do so. Do keep watching as sure she and others (and ourselves) will learn something new!

I like the Flow system, due to the reduced need to disturb the bees when harvesting honey. There is an element of convenience too with no extractor to wash too. 🐝

Tonia, this is bespoke and they have now made a number of these Flow Frame variants. I cannot wait for this season to use the flow frames! Subscribe as will share a series of videos on the flow system… with a twist!