Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on what your goals are with having bees. It also varies across the different seasons. Winters require less inspections, whereas Spring and Summer inspections need to be more frequent. As a general rule I try to average 12 times over a year, with each inspection taking 30 mins – 2 hours (per hive), depending on what the purpose of the inspection is. The more experience you gain, the more efficient you become with your inspections.

Bee hives are kept in a variety of locations – from small urban areas such as balconies, rooftops and suburban backyards to large rural properties. The Flow Hive has reduced the amount of space required, thanks to its clever onsite harvesting design. So you no longer need extra shed space to house harvesting equipment.

When determining if you can fit a hive in your location, you need to consider giving your bees a clear space at the front of the hive to enter and exit and you will need enough room to access the back of the hive for harvesting.

For good advice on space and positioning of your hive, check out this video.

A Flow Hive will set you back between $679 – $1179, depending on which model you choose. When I started beekeeping, I did the maths and worked out that I would make back my return on investment through honey sales in 1-2 years. So despite the knowledge the Langstroth Hive would be cheaper in the short term, once you add in all the harvesting equipment for a Langstroth frame, I worked out you actually save money with a Flow Hive in the long term.