Supers equipped with plastic flow frames are fundamentally incompatible with standard overwintering strategies. The primary reason to remove them is to prevent the queen from ruining the mechanism. As the bee cluster consumes honey and moves upward during the winter, they eventually reach the top of the hive by spring; if this space is occupied by flow frames, the queen will lay eggs inside the plastic cells, creating a significant sanitation issue.
The core issue is not just temperature, but the natural vertical migration of the colony. Leaving flow frames on during winter practically guarantees that the queen will expand the brood nest into the harvesting mechanism, turning a tool designed for pure honey extraction into a difficult-to-clean brood chamber.
The Mechanics of Winter Hive Dynamics
The Vertical Migration
Honey bees do not hibernate in a static position; they form a cluster that moves dynamically.
As the winter progresses, the cluster consumes its honey stores, slowly eating its way upward through the hive bodies.
The Spring Positioning
By the time spring arrives, the colony will naturally be located in the uppermost box of the hive stack.
This is the critical moment where hive configuration dictates the colony's success and your equipment's longevity.
The Consequence of Retaining Flow Frames
Contamination of the Mechanism
If the top box consists of plastic flow frames, the queen will treat this space as part of the brood nest.
She will begin laying eggs directly into the plastic cells.
Operational Complications
Flow frames are complex mechanical devices designed specifically for the viscosity of honey, not the biological debris of brood rearing.
Once brood is raised in these frames, they become filled with cocoons and waste, creating a significant mess that disrupts the frame's function and is laborious to clean.
Understanding the Trade-offs of Plastic Components
Material Rejection
Beyond the wintering risks, it is important to acknowledge that bees have a natural preference for wax over plastic.
Bees do not always accept plastic flow frames readily, which can cause issues even before winter sets in.
The Swarm Risk
If bees reject the plastic frames in the supers, they may refuse to store honey there.
Consequently, they will store honey in the brood chamber below, leading to overcrowding and triggering the colony's impulse to swarm.
Managing Acceptance
Some beekeepers must intervene by misting plastic frames with sugar water to encourage acceptance.
However, even if accepted for honey storage, the standard practice remains to remove them in the fall to avoid the overwintering risks detailed above.
Ensuring Hive Health and Equipment Longevity
To preserve both your expensive equipment and the colony's natural rhythm, follow these guidelines:
- If your primary focus is Equipment Maintenance: Remove flow supers in the fall to prevent the queen from laying eggs in the mechanism and damaging the harvest system.
- If your primary focus is Colony Survival: Ensure the top box left for winter is a standard hive body with wax or standard frames, providing a suitable environment for the spring brood expansion.
Adhering to the standard practice of removing supers in the fall safeguards your flow frames for their intended purpose: clear, debris-free honey harvesting.
Summary Table:
| Factor | Impact of Keeping Flow Frames Overwinter | Recommended Standard Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Activity | Queen may lay eggs in plastic cells, ruining the mechanism | Remove supers to keep brood in the lower hive bodies |
| Bee Migration | Cluster moves up into the plastic frames by spring | Provide standard frames with wax for natural upward movement |
| Equipment Care | Bio-debris and cocoons make frames difficult to clean | Store frames in a dry, pest-free area during winter |
| Colony Health | Risk of honey-clogged brood nests and swarming | Ensure adequate honey stores in traditional hive boxes |
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