Why We Retired Our Mini Flow Hive (and How We Moved Our Bees to Full-Size Boxes)
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When we started keeping bees, we started with a Mini Flow hive. It looked easy, it looked cute, and it seemed like a smart way to begin. It didn't take long for our bees to prove us wrong.
We've since gotten rid of it completely. Here's why, and how we moved our colony into full-size equipment without cutting or rebuilding a single frame.
Why we retired the Mini Flow
Honestly, it's more novelty than useful. A healthy colony grows fast, and the Mini Flow is just too small to keep up. The bigger problem is that you can't easily expand it. The boxes and frames aren't a standard size, so you can't just stack on another brood box or swap in regular frames.
A crowded colony is a stressed colony, and crowding is one of the main reasons bees swarm. For the bees' sake, we decided they belonged in standard boxes for good.
If you're just starting out, skip the mini hive. Begin with a standard-size Langstroth hive. If you already have a Mini Flow and your bees are running out of room, this is exactly what we did.
What we were trying to do
- Give the bees more room right away
- Let the queen move up on her own
- Get the colony into standard Langstroth equipment
- Avoid cutting or modifying any frames
The answer was a simple adapter board: a flat piece of plywood that lets a standard box sit on top of the mini hive.
What you'll need
For the board
- Exterior plywood, ½" or ¾" thick
- Measuring tape and a pencil
- Jigsaw or hole saw, and a drill
- Sandpaper
- Screws, if you want to add cleats
For the bees
- Your existing Mini Flow brood box
- A standard Langstroth deep or nuc box
- Frames with foundation, or drawn comb if you have it
- A telescoping cover
- A queen excluder for later
Building the adapter board
Step 1: Cut the board to fit the top box
Cut your plywood to the exact footprint of the standard box going on top. A 10-frame deep is about 16¼" × 22", and an 8-frame is about 14" × 22". A matching size keeps everything stable with no gaps.
Step 2: Trace the mini box
Set the mini brood box on the plywood and trace around it. You'll cut an opening a bit smaller than that outline so the board sits securely. For example, if the mini box measures 10" × 14", cut an opening around 9" × 13".
Step 3: Cut the opening
Drill a starter hole and cut out the opening with a jigsaw. This is the bees' highway between boxes. Sand the edges smooth.
Step 4: Stack it up
From bottom to top:
- Mini Flow brood box
- Adapter board
- Standard Langstroth box
- Cover
Everything should sit flat with no wobble. If it shifts, screw small wooden cleats under the board so it locks onto the mini box.
Setting up the top box
Step 5: Add frames
Use 5 frames for a nuc or 8 to 10 for a deep. If you have drawn comb, put one or two of those frames in the center with foundation toward the outside. Drawn comb gets the bees moving up much faster.
Step 6: Let the bees do the work
Within a few days you should see bees working upstairs. Over the next few weeks you'll see nectar and pollen stored, new comb drawn, and eventually brood. Once there's comb up there, the queen usually moves up on her own.
Step 7: Make sure the queen is laying upstairs
Don't add the queen excluder yet. Wait until you actually see eggs, larvae, and a steady brood pattern in the top box.
Finishing the move
Step 8: Add the queen excluder
Once she's clearly laying up top, put the excluder between the boxes so she can't go back down. Give it about 21 days for all the brood in the mini box to hatch.
Step 9: Watch for queen cells
With brood cut off below, nurse bees sometimes try to raise an emergency queen. Check the lower frames after about a week and remove any queen cells you find. (Here's how a hive raises a new queen.)
Step 10: Remove the mini box
Once all the brood below has emerged, take the mini box away and set your standard box on a regular bottom board. That's it. Your colony is fully moved into standard equipment.
Why this worked for us
- It relieved the crowding fast
- The queen moved up naturally
- We never had to force mismatched frames into new boxes
- The materials were cheap and easy to find
It works especially well in a mild climate like ours, where bees can keep drawing comb most of the year.
What I'd tell my past self
Start with full-size boxes from day one. The Mini Flow wasn't good for our bees, and it's gone for good. Our colony has been so much happier with room to grow. (It's one of our 10 beginner beekeeping mistakes.)
If you have questions about moving bees out of a mini hive, send me a message.
New to standard Langstroth equipment? Our Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping covers the basics. And to track your colony through the move, check out our Apiary Management Journal.
