Flow Frame cleaning and storage
We haven't found the Flow Comb needs cleaning if it stays in the hive – the bees do a great job of keeping it clean.
You don't need to clean Flow Frames if left within the hive, unless you detect disease in them. If you detect disease, you will need advice from experienced beekeepers on disease prevention and response for your area.
The Honey Trough at the bottom of the frame is designed so that any honey remaining after harvest can drip back into the hive for the bees to use. If the honey leak-back gap remains clear this works well; however, if the bees block it up some honey may remain in the honey trough after harvest. Clear the leak-back gap prior to harvest and inspect the honey trough. If the honey trough is dirty it can be cleaned from outside the hive using a bottle brush or something similar.
If you remove Flow Frames from the hive for storage it is a good idea to remove residual honey after your final harvest. Before removing from the hive, it can be helpful to leave the frames in the hive for a short time for the bees to do an initial clean.
To remove residual honey once you’ve removed the frame, set the Flow Comb to ‘cell open’ position and rinse in hot water (no hotter than 70 Celsius / 160 Fahrenheit). Allow the frames to dry thoroughly before storage.
Wax moth eggs present in the wax comb can result in an infestation on frames while in storage. This is messy but will not damage the Flow Frames. To help prevent wax moth infestation seal rinsed and dried Flow Frames in plastic to avoid reinfestation, then place in a freezer overnight. This will destroy any eggs or larvae present in the wax.
Store your Flow Frames in the dark, in a cool and dry location. Flow Frames are UV sensitive and should not be exposed to light for extended periods.
To discuss cleaning and maintenance of the Flow frames join the discussion on our forum.
