Could a new frame invention ultimately replace the langstroth hive? Seem impossible? Don’t be too sure. An Australian company has developed and are now testing a new hive design meant to make the beekeepers job a world easier. Here’s how…
Hives used by beekeepers today by and large follow the Langstroth design with deep supers sitting on bottom boards, stacked vertically, and honey supers stacked on top often separated from brood boxes with a queen excluder. Honey supers are where bees store honey. Honey supers come in all sizes, large, medium and small depending on the preference of the beekeeper.
Once honey supers are filled, it’s time for harvest. This is probably the most labor intensive aspect of beekeeping. First, hives must be disassembled and full supers swapped with empty ones. Away from the bee-yard, frames are removed; the capping wax is cut off and the frames are spun in an extractor. Centrifugal-force throws the honey to the inside of the extractor where it runs down the sides and collects in a pool at the bottom. Once honey has been extracted, each frame is cleaned (usually by the bees) and returned to stock ready for the next swap. Finally, of-course, there’s the time cleaning up and sanitizing tools and work areas.
Anyone who has harvested honey will tell you this is the heaviest part of beekeeping. Full, honey-laden supers can weight as much as 60 lbs, depending on the size. Muscling heavy supers, without squashing bees in the process, is nearly impossible.
That could all change!
The makers of Flow Hive™ claim to have invented an improved method for extracting honey without all the heavy lifting and extracting hassles. The Flow Hive™, incorporates a newly developed frame design that takes the drudgery out of harvesting honey. As can be seen in the following video, Flow Hive™ frames allow the beekeeper to remove honey–right in the bee yard!–without disturbing the bees!
Honey extraction can’t get any easier than that!
Mass production of the new frame design is under way and the manufacturer expects to begin filling orders within the next few months. You can learn more about this innovative frame design at the Honeyflow website. You can pledge support for the Flow Hive™ design or place an order for a Flow Hive™ here.
[Ed. – In this updated video you can see for yourself how the frame is designed and just how easy it is to collect honey.]
