# Newbie on Beekeeping



## Rader Sidetrack

Welcome to Beesource, Seth!

As I understand it, the Flow Hive can use standard brood boxes of your choice (deeps or mediums). The Flow super is where the honey (for harvest) is supposed to be stored, and that super sits on top of the brood boxes. The Flow people recommend using an excluder between the brood boxes and the Flow super to ensure that the brood nest does not extend into the super.

So you should be able to buy a nuc without any issues transferring the bees into a new hive matching the Flow super, assuming you purchase 10 frame boxes, or use the brood boxes that Flow sells..

I have never seen a Flow hive in person, but the FAQ on ths Flow page confirms my comments:
https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/p/22?tag=21

(look at the question "What are the dimensions of the Flow frames?")


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## Beeginning16

Hey Rader, 

I want the complete thing with the brood on bottom and the flow Frames on top. As I am still trying to understand what the NUC bees actually is. Does the NUC comes with bees on a frame already and you move it over to the flow brood box on bottom, if so then where would the foundationless frames go 




Rader Sidetrack said:


> Welcome to Beesource, Seth!
> 
> As I understand it, the Flow Hive can use standard brood boxes of your choice (deeps or mediums). The Flow super is where the honey (for harvest) is supposed to be stored, and that super sits on top of the brood boxes. The Flow people recommend using an excluder between the brood boxes and the Flow super to ensure that the brood nest does not extend into the super.
> 
> So you should be able to buy a nuc without any issues transferring the bees into a new hive matching the Flow super, assuming you purchase 10 frame boxes.
> 
> I have never seen a Flow hive in person.


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## Beeginning16

I am thinking that it would be easier to just get the whole set up if I am just beginning rather than having to buy my own box


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## Rader Sidetrack

A nuc is typically 5 frames. Whether of not those frames are foundationless or have foundation is up to the seller of the nuc, but probably most nuc hive frames have foundation. In any case, you would move those frames to your new hive, then fill in the balance of the box with your own frames (foundationless, if that is your choice). If you really want to get rid of the foundation frames, they can be rotated out later.


Perhaps I may suggest that you wait to commit to using Flow brood boxes til you spend more time reading Beesource.  I am not aware that there are any issues with the Flow brood boxes, but I do expect that they will cost substantially more than standard boxes available elsewhere, but I admit that I have not specifically priced Flow brood boxes.


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## Beeginning16

The whole box cost almost $700 
If I got just a normal brood box would it work with flow, which I am assuming so since they have the super.


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## Beeginning16

It does not say if the super comes with a queen exclusder. Would a normal brood box work as good and how much would it cost?


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## Rader Sidetrack

There are a lot of hive body choices from multiple different vendors. For example, Betterbee offers this combo ...
http://www.betterbee.com/wooden-hive-kits-10-frame/weku-10-fr-essentials-unassem.asp

... that should work. You could certainly add an excluder to that. But again, its going to be months before you can get bees for a new hive, so take some of that time to look around a bit and then ask more questions. You've got all winter, as even in Louisana its unlikely to be able to buy a nuc before March.


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## squarepeg

welcome aboard '16. 

graham, la could also be los angeles or even 'lower alabama'.


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## Rusty Hills Farm

squarepeg said:


> welcome aboard '16.
> 
> graham, la could also be los angeles or even 'lower alabama'.


Slidell is in Louisiana.


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## Rader Sidetrack

In _squarepeg_'s defense, when I first saw this thread, I believe the location shown was simply "LA". 

My guess is that _Barry_ edited the location, based on an IP address.



As far as "LA" being "Lower Alabama", only if you live there. Kind of like expecting people to know that "ET" is Eastern Tennessee". :shhhh:


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## AmericasBeekeeper

Welcome Seth!


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## squarepeg

ah slidell, i have a nephew who resides there, nice area.

if you haven't already found them yet seth, here a a few good resources:

http://beesource.com/how-to-start-beekeeping/

http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/first-year-care-for-your-nuc/

your best bet is to become acquainted with beekeepers in your local area, perhaps join the local bee club, and see if you can visit and observe others working their hives.

i personally don't believe it's possible to guide someone just starting out step by step on an internet forum as there are many important factors that are uniquely local to your area and learning some of this stuff simply requires having hands on and eyes on in person.


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## Beeginning16

Yes, Slidell is in Louisiana in the suburbs of New Orleans. The Actual hive will be in the rural area of New Orleans Called Pearl River 
it is a little cooler in temperature there compared to Slidell

Slidell is a great place live, but I have to admit that new orleans has more to do for fun. If you are not from here, you should come see the French Quarter and French Market


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## Beeginning16

Here in Slidell, Louisiana we have to reserve and pay for the bees before the end of the year, but the bees would come in around May of next year.

The Flow super says if I buy a 4 Flow Frame unit then it would fit a 10 frame box regular box.
Would all the honey be on the 4 Flow Frames 
Or would I have honey on the other 6 frames and i would have to get the honey the old way on thone 6 frames


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## Beeginning16

Does anyone know what good beekeeping qroups are in louisiana


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## squarepeg

in addition to the nephew in slidell, my son and his family live in downtown new orleans, within walking distance of the french quarter ect., planning to take the amtrak down there next month.

pearl river is even better for the bees, lots of natural habitat there, and very likely has a thriving feral bee population.

another option for getting bees is reading up on and giving a try at catching a swarm next spring.  they might end up being much better bees than the packaged ones you have to reserve.

also, riverderwent here on the forum might be able to get you hooked up with some good survivior stock, a bit of a drive for you, but it would be well worth getting bees with a known history.

start asking around about beekeepers, check your local farmer's markets for folks selling honey, hopefully some of the contributors here on the forum can point you in the right direction.

good luck seth.


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## Beeginning16

Where is riverderwent located at?
I am planning on getting the NUC , not the package of bees.


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## squarepeg

northwest la.

check out this beesource feature:

forum>community>member list>search members>riverderwent

click on the user name for options.


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## Riverderwent

squarepeg said:


> northwest la.


+1


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## Beeginning16

Hey Riverderwent, do you have any NUCS of bees that I can buy?


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## Riverderwent

Beeginning16 said:


> Hey Riverderwent, do you have any NUCS of bees that I can buy?


April, 2017.


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## LittleTreeGuy

Just going to toss this out there... I've heard some not great things about the flow hives this year from some keepers having them for their second year. They said the first year, the bees filled the flow hives very well and capped them just as they would normal honey comb. The second year however, they did put some honey in them, but only capped a very small percentage. They said it's almost like the bees knew something wasn't right or it was going to get destroyed anyways. Obviously, there could be tons of reasons why this is, I just know from the few people I've talked to that have them, they said if they had it to do over again, they likely would have went a different route. Mainly because they could have gotten 2 (or maybe 3) complete hives for what they had invested in one, without bees. 

Yes, I think the Flowhive looks cool and is a pretty neat idea, but I would encourage you to research it as much as possible and try to reach out to those who have them before making that investment.


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## Beeginning16

Hey Riverderwent, So you saying that you will have some NUCS for sale in April, of 2017 and if so how much are you going to charge and for how many?


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## Beeginning16

I love the Flow Hive idea too, but now I am considering to get the hybrid super Flow hive 
So I can do the traditional way of bee keeping and still have the Flow System, plus it is cheaper!! 

Have you actually seen the flow hive in person? Were the people that you talked to professional or just starting out beekeepers?


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## Rader Sidetrack

Pricing negotiations should be conducted via PM, email, phone etc- _anywhere_ but threads on Beesource. 


[hr] [/hr]

For example, if you want to send a Private Message (PM) to someone on the forum, one way is to click on their member name in a thread, then choose "Private message" and follow the resulting prompts.


Also, when a member is currently active* on the forum, a green dot appears next to their member name. If there is no green dot, then they are not currently active.


* technically, the green dot typically persists for about 30 minutes after the member is inactive.


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## Beeginning16

Hey Riverderwent, can you accept my friend request? I want to PM you?


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## beemandan

16, I am hoping that you've also done some research on beekeeping. It can be a bit complicated. We do see a lot of disappointed newcomers on Beesource who have high hopes but lack information and consequently lose their bees. Taking a good class and/or finding an experienced mentor may make all the difference in your outcome.
Good luck


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## Beeginning16

Hello Everyone, I am back again. My dad and I got our bees April, 15 2017. Some say how do i know the exact date and the only reason i do is because i had an event the day before. Our first harvest did great, we got around 2 and quarter gallons +/- and they are still doing great as of now. i am hoping this next July that we get around 4-5 gallons. I have so many people asking for honey like 20 so far, i have a list of people that i write down, but no complaints just saying. I am hoping for more honey than i had last year. Thanks, Seth. Located in the Slidell/Pearl River, Louisiana area


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## JWPalmer

Beginning16, good to hear your bees are doing well at this time. You know the saying about counting chickens before they hatch? The same goes with the bees and honey. Don't commit to providing ANY until after it is harvested. Too many things can happen between now and next summer. This includes deciding to forego a honey harvest in lieu of increasing the size of your apiary. All the best to you.


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