The Flow Hive Debate

A Natural Beekeeper's Perspective

Introduction

As a natural beekeeper who emphasizes bee welfare above honey production, I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the Flow Hive phenomenon. This invention, created by Stu and Cedar Anderson near Byron Bay, has captured global attention and broken crowdfunding records – reaching their $70,000 target in less than 8 minutes and going on to raise over US$12m. But beneath this success story lies deeper questions about our relationship with bees.

It’s Not About the Honey

In my interview with Helen Iles, I expressed concern that the Flow Hive shifts focus toward honey extraction rather than bee health: “At a time when Bees are dying in their billions around the world, the last thing we should be focusing on is the honey.” The common perception that ‘All you have to do is turn on the tap and collect the honey’ misses the essence of beekeeping entirely.

The Practical Beekeeper, Michael Bush, shares an illuminating story that captures this misunderstanding perfectly: “‘All you’ll have to do is open it and drain off the quantity of honey I require.’ Beehives don’t work that way.’” This fundamental misconception about how bees function reflects a broader issue in our approach to beekeeping.

Commercial vs Natural Beekeeping

It’s important to recognize where beekeeping stands today. Over 50% of all honey is currently produced in China, with operations averaging about 50 colonies, while Canadian operations typically manage around 1,000 colonies. This industrialization of beekeeping has moved us far from natural bee care principles.

The Flow Hive, while working with the traditional Langstroth design dating back to 1852, claims to offer a new level of bee care by allowing honey removal without disturbing the bees. However, this perspective misses crucial aspects of colony health and natural bee behavior.

Understanding the Bee Organism

The inventors argue their device reduces stress on bees during honey harvesting. While I respect their intention, my concern lies deeper – in how we fundamentally approach beekeeping. As Heidi Herrmann from the Natural Beekeeping Trust powerfully states:

“The enthusiastic response to the flow hive is a very apt reflection of the shallow and lazy ways of thinking extant today. No living creature of this earth, let alone this earth, will ever be helped by attitudes or practices that are not fully grounded in an ethical and moral approach to the living world.”

The Problem with Conventional Hive Design

One fundamental issue lies with the Langstroth hive design itself. As I explained in the interview, “the design of it means that you have to rip the roof off to do an inspection.” This disrupts the colony’s carefully maintained environment. In contrast, “the Kenyan Top-bar hive where most of the heat and nest scent is maintained during inspections and honey harvesting. It also keeps the brood chamber whole, which is seen by natural beekeepers as the ‘heart’ of the colony.”

The Plastic Problem

The use of plastic in beehives particularly troubles me. Though proponents argue plastic frames have been used for decades without “known problems,” we must consider broader implications for bee health and natural behaviors. As I mentioned in the article, “The end product is having a heap of bees living in plastic and that’s not ok. It’s not ok to have bees living in plastic that off-gases… We’re talking about the bees. Where they live. Their home.”

While Stu Anderson acknowledges this concern, stating “If we could do this with some sort of natural materials, we would,” the reality is that tens of thousands of colonies are now being housed in these plastic systems.

Natural Alternatives and Better Approaches

Instead of focusing on easier honey extraction, I advocate for methods that respect the bees’ natural processes. The Kenyan Top-bar hive maintains heat and nest scent during inspections while preserving the integrity of the brood chamber – the heart of the colony.

Kirsten Bradley from Milkwood perfectly articulates the natural beekeeping approach we should strive for:

“If we are to keep backyard bees (which is what this flow tech is clearly aimed at), I think we should aim to keep them in a bee-centric way using natural beekeeping principles: natural reproduction, bee-made natural comb, queen roams free, appropriate hive design, low intervention, good stewardship, harvesting only surplus honey. Beekeeping is amazing. There’s no need to overcomplicate it.”

The Risk of Oversimplification

The Flow Hive’s creators emphasize that “really looking after these bees involves learning a lot, and observing a lot, and spending time with them.” However, as I pointed out in the interview, even though they advocate responsible management and care, the common perception remains focused on easy honey extraction.

“Honey harvesting is 1 or 2 days work out of a whole season of caring for your Bees,” I explained. “It’s the reward we get if there is surplus honey for us to take, there is so much more to it than just taking the honey.”

The Environmental Context

We must consider the broader environmental challenges facing bees today. As I noted in the interview, “These bees are lucky if they make the next twenty years and that’s a fact because of all the poisons we’re putting on our planet.” Adding more artificial elements to their environment through plastic hive components only compounds these challenges.

Education and Awareness

While I’m encouraged that more people are interested in bees because of the Flow Hive, I question whether this is the right way to attract that interest. “I’m happy it’s going to get people interested in bees,” I acknowledged in the interview, “but is it the right way to get people interested in bees?”

We need to focus on educating new beekeepers about the complex society of the Bee organism and the importance of natural beekeeping principles. This means understanding that the colony functions as a single being, with each bee playing a vital role in the larger organism.

Conclusion: A Call for Mindful Beekeeping

Looking forward, I hope this discussion encourages people to think more deeply about natural beekeeping principles: minimal intervention, respect for natural processes, and prioritizing bee health above honey production. While new technologies may seem appealing, we must always ask ourselves: Are we serving the bees, or just making honey extraction more convenient for ourselves?

The future of beekeeping – and indeed, the future of bees themselves – depends not on technological innovation, but on our willingness to understand and work with the natural wisdom of these extraordinary creatures. Let’s focus on becoming better stewards of the bees, rather than finding easier ways to harvest their honey.

As this debate continues, it’s crucial to remember that beekeeping exists on a continuum. From commercial honey producers to environmental beekeepers who rarely harvest honey, our practices reflect our values and understanding of these remarkable insects. My hope is that we can move toward approaches that truly prioritize bee welfare and colony health above all else.