New Flow Bee Hives

[RescueDiver]

Saw this on you tube and thought it was a cool thing to share. I might even buy one.


http://youtu.be/0_pj4cz2VJM

[fish_e_o]

silly question

can you just put something like that out and bees will just show up?

[Kevwood]

silly question

can you just put something like that out and bees will just show up?

You have to get some bees to put in there, they will not just show up...

How do the cappings come off? pretty clean coming out, no wax? no brood? and all out of a two story hive, no bees anywhere around the hive? just leave an open jar of honey there for a 1/2 day and not one bee robs from it? Genius if it is remotely possible but I think not...

[recce43]

talking about bees i was thinking in starting a hive in my backyard . Anybody have any do and don'ts for this first time for me

[bubba 96]

silly question

can you just put something like that out and bees will just show up?

You will need a queen, she emits a feramone that attracts the worker bees, no queen the bees will leave the hive, and will not return, did beekeeping in cowley for 3 summers when I was in highschool.

Im kind of skeptical, as honey needs to be very warm to flow, like in the video, when we did honey, the wood stove would be full boar till we had all the honey in containers..I think we kept it a 95 F..

[fish_e_o]

i know the square root of **** all regarding bee keeping so i looked this up and found out

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex3946

Anyone owning bees or used beekeeping equipment in Alberta, or operating bees in Alberta is required to register annually with the Provincial Apiculturist.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

silly question

can you just put something like that out and bees will just show up?

It is possible, just unlikely... First, there has to be a hive of bees near by. Second, they have to swarm and third they have to find your hive and decide it is a good place to set up house.

ARG

[RescueDiver]

You have to get some bees to put in there, they will not just show up...

How do the cappings come off? pretty clean coming out, no wax? no brood? and all out of a two story hive, no bees anywhere around the hive? just leave an open jar of honey there for a 1/2 day and not one bee robs from it? Genius if it is remotely possible but I think not...

I seem to remember that there is some sort of mech that you turn and it does something to loosens the honey. You do this before you open the value that lets the honey out.

[Kevwood]

I seem to remember that there is some sort of mech that you turn and it does something to loosens the honey. You do this before you open the value that lets the honey out.

You put the frames through an uncapper or knife which removes the wax covering the bees use to seal the honey into each comb...then are loaded into an extractor(giant spinning drum) top of the frame out as the bees draw the frames out at about a 3 degree upward angle so the honey does not run out in the hive...then honey goes through a heat exchange system to remove wax and other unwanted debris, honey is then pumped to settling tanks and drawn into 45 gallon drums for shipment.
The only possible way this video could make sense is if there is some kind of intricate mini piping system in each cell in the plastic inserted into the frame prior to the bees drawing out the wax, and if this is the method it would get gummed up with wax pollen and propolis...if anyone has ever looked at the inside of a hive those bees weld things up pretty tight. This video seems very misleading...like I said before genius if it is true but I cannot see how. Will have to follow it out of interest though...

[dgl1948]

Saw this on you tube and thought it was a cool thing to share. I might even buy one.


http://youtu.be/0_pj4cz2VJM

I have a bridge or two you may be interested in.

[RescueDiver]

You put the frames through an uncapper or knife which removes the wax covering the bees use to seal the honey into each comb...then are loaded into an extractor(giant spinning drum) top of the frame out as the bees draw the frames out at about a 3 degree upward angle so the honey does not run out in the hive...then honey goes through a heat exchange system to remove wax and other unwanted debris, honey is then pumped to settling tanks and drawn into 45 gallon drums for shipment.
The only possible way this video could make sense is if there is some kind of intricate mini piping system in each cell in the plastic inserted into the frame prior to the bees drawing out the wax, and if this is the method it would get gummed up with wax pollen and propolis...if anyone has ever looked at the inside of a hive those bees weld things up pretty tight. This video seems very misleading...like I said before genius if it is true but I cannot see how. Will have to follow it out of interest though...

I think I will follow as well....am courious to see what they are wanting for a kit.....they are starting a kick starter campaign on Monday and say the first people to order will get a big discount. Time will tell.

[dgl1948]

The only possible way this video could make sense is if there is some kind of intricate mini piping system in each cell in the plastic inserted into the frame prior to the bees drawing out the wax, and if this is the method it would get gummed up with wax pollen and propolis...if anyone has ever looked at the inside of a hive those bees weld things up pretty tight. This video seems very misleading...like I said before genius if it is true but I cannot see how.

First bee fill the cells with nectar. Nectar is not honey. The nectar is going to flow before honey does.

[crunchiespg]

Well I watched this launch with interest. I've always wanted bees.
Their target was $70,000. Launched at 12 yesterday. As of this morning they have raised $1,900,000.

It does appear they have revolutionised a system that has barely changed for hundreds or thousands of years.
I think I'll buy one once I get settled in a new house.

[fish_e_o]

Hi Scott, we understand your scepticism, this has taken us a decade of work to take this from dream to reality. We will be sharing exactly how this work on the 23rd of February and you won't have to donate to get this information. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and comment.

thats today!!

[crunchiespg]

thats today!!

I guess you didn't read my post above? They launched yesterday. Which is today (tomorrow) in Australia. They are already almost sold out.

[fish_e_o]

I guess you didn't read my post above? They launched yesterday. Which is today (tomorrow) in Australia. They are already almost sold out.

i thought they were just fund raising. how much are they? the site is bogged down so it wont load for me

[crunchiespg]

i thought they were just fund raising. how much are they? the site is bogged down so it wont load for me

The fund raising is basically pre orders.
A full hive including the frames is $600. Frames alone start in the couple hundred region.
Check it out on indiegogo fundraising site. That's working just fine.

[RescueDiver]

Sure jumped to the 1.9 million fast.

[Peter Abelard]

Seems like a lot of headache...

We get our honey at Safeway. Much cheaper than a $600 beehive.

[crunchiespg]

Seems like a lot of headache...

We get our honey at Safeway. Much cheaper than a $600 beehive.

Not when that hive produces $200 of honey a month.
Plus it tastes 100 times better. I currently pay $10-15 a kg for farm honey. This stuff looks even better as its wax free clear honey without any treatment.

[lmtada]

Not when that hive produces $200 of honey a month.
Plus it tastes 100 times better. I currently pay $10-15 a kg for farm honey. This stuff looks even better as its wax free clear honey without any treatment.

Your honey flow is 5-6 weeks. Lucky to produce 150-200 lbs honey year. 150lbs x $2.00 = $300.00/yr. Retail 150lbs x $5.00/lb= $750.00/yr
$750.00 year / 12 = $62.50 month. Now your expenses for the hive. Minimum $50.00 hive. Treat bee's to survive, Vorroa, Tracheal mites. Feed pollen, sugar syrup. It adds up. Not including your labour, fuel, extracting time, containers. No you do not make $200.00/ month. If so then everyone would do it. Beekeeping is hot, sweaty, back breaking work. Like roughnecking in the summer. I would rather be fishing. :fighting0030::fighting0030:

[Peter Abelard]

Not when that hive produces $200 of honey a month.


Hi Crunchiespg,

Imtada shows a different figure, and was kind enough to provide a breakdown.

Could you give more insight as to your $200/month figure?

[crunchiespg]

Hi Crunchiespg,

Imtada shows a different figure, and was kind enough to provide a breakdown.

Could you give more insight as to your $200/month figure?

I meant 200 a month during the production season. Sorry I wasn't very clear and suggesting $200 a month all year.
I pay $10 -$15 a kg. those flow hives hold 20kg and they say anywhere from a week to a month for a full harvest during the season. So at their worst estimation $200 a month.
So from that I'd say you should cover your investment the first year and be makig a bit every year after.

[Kevwood]

Your honey flow is 5-6 weeks. Lucky to produce 150-200 lbs honey year. 150lbs x $2.00 = $300.00/yr. Retail 150lbs x $5.00/lb= $750.00/yr
$750.00 year / 12 = $62.50 month. Now your expenses for the hive. Minimum $50.00 hive. Treat bee's to survive, Vorroa, Tracheal mites. Feed pollen, sugar syrup. It adds up. Not including your labour, fuel, extracting time, containers. No you do not make $200.00/ month. If so then everyone would do it. Beekeeping is hot, sweaty, back breaking work. Like roughnecking in the summer. I would rather be fishing. :fighting0030::fighting0030:

Don't forget that an average year of 175lbs/hive is also off of a four or five story hive...this is a two story. does the hive purchase come with bees and queen? Can you super it up to get a larger crop? Do the frames come drawn out or with the bottom super ready for laying? or are the bees expected to just fill both supers with honey and the queen can lay offsite? lol I would expect the first year would be a very small crop and what would happen when the cells that house the brood (eggs/larvae) are disturbed for a harvest? Too many variables I think...would love to see this hive a year down the road...kudos to them grabbing some cash though...