> One oddity was that the bees left dome-shaped space for the queen to lay, but then subsequently backfilled it



I have several clients with Flow Hives that I've helped manage over the last three years plus I was given one last year for my use.



I saw the same dome shaped space 2 years ago when one of my clients put the Flow Chamber over a queen excluder and her first deep early in the season. The bees filled the area above and to the sides of the dome with capped honey but since the Queen could not get through the excluder the dome was left empty. 



When we removed the Flow Chamber and put on a second deep followed by the Flow Chamber above the Queen Excluder, the bees built out the second deep and proceeded to fill the empty domes in the Flow Chamber with Honey producing 7 Flow Frames of honey. 



My other client has never had much success with the Flow Chambers in 3 years - half of his hives have Flow chambers with the other half with conventional mediums. I'm thinking of recommending that he put the Flow Chambers over the first deeps early this season to see if they will finally start using the Flow Chambers. I am going to do the same with mine, this year.  



We'll see if that helps getting the bees to use them...



Joe Komperda

Parker, CO, USA

303.304.6459

HappyBusyBees.com



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