There could be several reasons for why your bees are not expanding into the Auto Flow Beehive. Some of these reasons apply to all hive styles. Bees, for example, will not build new comb when they are unhealthy, in a nectar dearth or at certain times of year. Also, if the bees feel they do not have enough room in the hive, they will not expand into new comb. Bees need a certain amount of warmth to build comb, so if the temperature is too cold, they will not expand. If the hive is too dry, the bees will also not build. The Auto Flow Beehive has an internal frame that can be moved up as the comb is built, giving the bees more room to expand. If the frame is not moved up, the bees may not have enough room to build new comb.
If you're a beekeeper, you know that one of the most important things for your bees is having a comfortable place to build their hive. And while the Auto Flow Beehive is designed to make life easier for bees, getting them to accept plastic can be tricky. Sometimes a colony will refuse to use the Auto Flow Beehive even when conditions for building are good. But don't worry - there are a few things you can try to get your bees to take to their new home.
First, consider installing a Rumble Board. This will help to make your hive more attractive to bees by providing a place for them to land and climb up into the hive. You can also paint your hive to make it more attractive to bees. Consider using a light-colored paint, as bees are attracted to light colors. Finally, you can plant flowers near your hive to attract bees to it.
Ensure the status of the bees
A healthy colony of bees in spring will fill out their brood nest in a few weeks time. Before putting your Flow super on, make sure your bees have done this. This will ensure that the bees have enough room to move into the Flow super and will also help to prevent swarming.
If you are feeding your bees to help them achieve growth, you will need to stop feeding them once you add your Auto Flow Beehive. The strength of your colony will determine how much feeding is necessary.
If you have an eight-frame brood box, you should wait until the bees have built out at least six of the eight frames before adding the Auto Flow Beehive. This will give the bees enough time to get established in their new hive and will help ensure that the brood box is not too crowded.
If you only have one brood box, the bees may fill it up quickly and then you'll have to add a super. If you have two brood boxes, you can let the bees fill up one before adding a super. This way, you and the bees have more flexibility.
Formation
If the cells in your Flow frames are not in the correct formation, they will not be able to function properly. The cells should look like regular hexagonal cells, but with small gaps in the top and bottom. These gaps are necessary in order for the cells to be able to move and flow properly. If the cells are not in the correct formation, they will not be able to move properly, and this can cause problems with your flow.
Adding Wax
A layer of beeswax on the surface of the foundation will help the bees to start building their comb faster.Bees are naturally attracted to the smell of beeswax, so coating your flow frames in beeswax will help the bees to start building their comb faster. A layer of beeswax on the surface of the foundation will also help to keep the comb from drying out and becoming brittle.
I applied the beeswax to my flowhive by melting some in a double broiler on the stove. I used an old paint brush to apply it evenly. The beeswax gave my flowhive a nice shine and protected it from the elements.
As you paint on the melted beeswax, be sure to hold the frames upright. This will prevent the wax from running down the cells and ruining your work. When painting, be sure to use light strokes and avoid going over the same area multiple times. This will ensure a smooth, even coat of wax.
Progress
If you see the bees filling in the cracks of the cells with beeswax, good news! That is the first sign that your bees have accepted the flow frames. The bees will build out the comb and start storing honey and pollen in the frames. This is a good sign that the hive is healthy and thriving.
If you start to see bees filling the cells of the honeycomb, it's a sure sign that a nectar flow is happening. The bees will usually start in the center of each frame, working their way outwards. So, if you see honey in the windows of the hive, you can be pretty confident that the bees have nearly finished filling all the frames.
Troubleshooting
Some bees are simply less willing to use the flow super than others. I have found that the older bees are the ones that are the least likely to use it. The younger bees seem to be more curious and willing to check it out. As the colony grows and the number of bees increases, more bees will use the flow super.
If you are not seeing progress and all the above has been considered, you might try moving the flow super to a different colony. Sometimes a change in environment can jump start the process. If you have multiple colonies, you could also consider borrowing a frame of capped honey from another colony and placing it in the flow super.
