OBSERVATION HIVE

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I am completing my project and am in need of ideas.
I found the instruction plans for my observation hive on this site and am nearly done. It is a beautiful piece of furniture made from black walnut that we grew at our family farm.
I am curious if there is something that I can apply to the inside glass that would keep the bees from propolizing the glass making it hard to see through?
Maybe Rainguard? That's the stuff you put on your windshield that keeps everything, even bugs, from sticking. I would think that if it had sufficient time to evaporate that it might be ok...?
Bill

[dickm]

Rain-x seems like a good idea. I have a new observation hive I want to start using in the spring. I used plastic instead of glass. I intend to vaseline the edges so they don't glue it in the slot. Let me know how it comes out?

Dickm

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I had heard of the vasoline on the edges and why, I just didn't want to obscure the view.
I am also wondering how far will the bees travel through the one inch tubing. Is there a maximum distance from the window? And does the height make a difference?
Bill

[Michael Bush]

>I am also wondering how far will the bees travel through the one inch tubing. Is there a maximum distance from the window? And does the height make a difference?

My observation hive has a stand with a pivot so the tube comes out by the floor and goes up and then out a board with the hole in it under the window and then another board with a hole in it under the storm window. In all it's a little more than three feet. It did take the bees a few days to all learn their way out and it took a black cloth hung over the glass so they would see the "light at the end of the tunnel".

As for the glass. I think glass is best because you can scrape it clean with a razor. I do use plexiglass sometimes, but you can't clean it very well.

I've never coated it with anything. I just accepted that I have to clean it a couple of times a year. The RainX might help.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Michael wrote;
It did take the bees a few days to all learn their way out and it took a black cloth hung over the glass so they would see the "light at the end of the tunnel".

Over the glass, or over the tube? Does your hive have wooden covers over the glass to give them privacy?
Bill

[Michael Bush]

I purchased mine and it did not come with any privacy covers. I just took a doubled up piece of black cloth and doubled it over the top of the hive hanging down on each side. This puts two layers of black cloth on each side of the hive. It's just a curtain. It's easy to pull it aside to see the bees and easy to put back and it took nothing but a pair of sissors and the cloth to make it. If I wanted it facier I suppose I could hang a prettier piece of cloth over that one. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif

Without the cloth, when I first put the bees in, they weren't finding the exit.

[Hook]

I am in the process of building one myself. I had glass in mine, was mounted in and everthing, and my dog knocked it over. Now I have plexiglass. It won't get knocked over now though! I do have a question for Micheal. Does you tube for exiting outside bend, or is it a straight shot? I want to mount mine in the basement rec room, and it will have to be about 4ft high. (bottom from the ground). If the tube can bend, it would be more manageable. I read it is better if it is a straight shot. Logic tells me, however, that in the wild, it would never be a perfect world and the bess would figure it out. If in fact you do have a bend, is it a 90 degree angle, and what is the diameter of you tube.
Details details...........
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Dale Richards
Dal-Col Apiaries
Drums, PA

[This message has been edited by Hook (edited January 12, 2003).]

[Michael Bush]

My tube was an extension that was made for a sump pump. It is black and flexible and about 1 1/4" in diameter. When they were having trouble finding the exit, I set the hive on a table to make it a straight shot so they could see some light. After that I put it on the floor and there are two right angle bends in it now. I think it's better with the bends because it cuts down on the cold air in the winter.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Hook,
If you have a Lowe's hardware in your area, they sell clear flexable rubber tubing in one inch dia. They also have some with cord reinforcment, white, and black, all in a variety of sizes. They also have the plastic drain hose with ribs like Michaels.
Bill

[Michael Bush]

IMHO.

I suppose they would eventually find their way out anyway, but the black over the clear has the advantage of them not banging against the sides so much thinking they can go toward the light. The black hose has more of a chance of finding the light, going toward it and succeeding in getting out.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I agree, I think that it would be easier for them to find their way out if it is black. When I was buying my tubing I was remembering all those stories about the resteraunts in Mo. that had hives with tubes that went through the building for the patrons to see them comming and going.
Bill

[Russ]

Hi Bill, Those old Stucky Resturant' are what first got me interested in Bee's. I always enjoyed watching them. Maybe there is someone that had some experience with them that could shed some light on the subject of observation hives. Just my $.02 Dale

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I have re-worked my OB hive to four Permacombs, requeened and they are starting to build back up slowly.

I am wondering since they seem to have used up all the pollen and are not bringing any more in, should I feed them pollen subsitute? And if so, how do YOU do it?

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Bullseye Bill
Smack dab in the middle of the country.

[Michael Bush]

When I reworked mine, I put two holes in the top with #8 hardware cloth (I should have used #7). I made a "frame" feeder that filled the excess space at the top. It's like a dug out canoe only made of a 2 by. I cut out the middle so I could fill the feeder from the top through the holes. When I have feed them any pollen, I just dump it in the same hole through the screen. It ends up on top of the syrup (if there is some) or honey (which is what I feed in the winter when I don't have to worry about robbing) or an empty feeder if I let it get empty. I've thought about putting a hole on the side angled down so I can use a funnel and put pollen in there.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>When I reworked mine, I put two holes in the top with #8 hardware cloth (I should have used #7).


I have three one inch vent holes with screen on the inside across the top on mine already. I guess I could use one of these for feeding, I would just have to press it down against the screen every now and then.

Thanks for the ideas.

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Bullseye Bill
Smack dab in the middle of the country.

[Michael Bush]

It doesn't go through the #8 very well. I should have used #7 (and will next time I open it up, if I remember).

But it will go through the #8 with some gentle persuasion.

[hoosierhiver]

so,aside from the chance of breaking,would most people agree that glass is preferable to plexiglass?

[Michael Bush]

Plexi is easy to work with in some ways. You can drill holes in it etc. I prefer glass. It's much easier to clean. I'd use the little mirror brackets to hold it on so you don't need to cut grooves etc. Glass needs to be easy to get off so you don't break it when you open it up. If you use the mirror brakets to hold it on and a hair dryer to get it off, I think it would work well.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>so,aside from the chance of breaking,would most people agree that glass is preferable to plexiglass?

I made both glass and plex for mine. Had I used the glass I would have broken it getting it open. I have the grooves to slide the glass down into, and had to do some serious bending to get it out. I will have to invest in a hair dryer, been a long time since I needed one. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/frown.gif

I had thought of coating the inside with Rainx to keep the wax from sticking but you can't use it on plexiglass.

One main problem with the plexiglass is that it will bow, mine pulled into the hive where the bees attached it with wax. I like that I could bore a hole through the plex where one of my PC frames was too close to one side of the glass, the bees were getting stuck inbetween. So I drilled a hole in the plex and inserted a screw to push the frame and pull the glass out. Worked well and all is happy now.

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Bullseye Bill
Smack dab in the middle of the country.

[johndl]

Anyone know if a three deep frame observation hive can survive four seasons? Fed, of course. I'm in Northern Virginia, and am helping set up a hive for an educational farm.

[Michael Bush]

I haven't wintered one sucessfully yet, but I had one last year. It was a three deep hive, but the bees only got one frame filled with bees and honey (late start). The mites were bad and come spring there was only a handful of bees left, but that handful survived. Unfortunately the queen wasn't one of them.

This year I have converted it to four medium frames and it was about 2 1/3 full frames of bees (a little more than half). I've been fogging with FGMO and there are very few mites. I expect that they will winter ok. The hive is in the house where it's warm and I feed them regularly.

[tarheit]

Some sources I've read recommend a minimum space of 3 deep and 3 medium frames. About the same space as a 5 frame nuc. I've constructed one with 8 medium frames (again about the equivalent of the 3deep and 3medium). This is my first winter with it, so I can't say how well they do.

See some pictures at http://www.watchtv.net/~honeyrun/observation_hive/

[Michael Bush]

Wow! What a nice hive! When it's full can you handle it to take it outside to manipulate it?

[tarheit]

I haven't weighed it, but is isn't hard carrying it outside by myself to work on it. Not something I like to do often, but it's not bad. At home it hangs on the wall by two hindges, but I also have a stand so it can be free standing for when I take it to the fair, etc.

-Tim

[dickm]

As to how far the bees will travel to get out: I made mine go through 2 ells and 4' of 1 1/2 pvc to get out. The 4' piece was vertical. They found it in no time and carried most of their debris up to get rid of it. I'll add a clean out next time.

Dick Marron

[BWrangler]

Greetings Everyone,

I have use both plex and glass for my observation hives. I usually build a new one every couple of years.

Be careful when using plex as it can expand when it gets hot and buckle. The resulting warp can allow bees to escape, especially if they are confined and not free flying. Hence all those tales of duct taping up ob hives at fairs, etc.

Glass is my favorite medium as it's easy to clean and doesn't warp. If you use glass, make sure that the glass shop rounds the corners and smooths off the edges. Little nicks and chips tend to develop there and any extra stress during removal will cause the glass to crack from those points.

I have tried just about every type of arrangement for observation hives. Those that are more than one frame wide are easier to maintain than one that's just a single frame wide. I set mine on the patio and then transfer it into a nuc box at the end of the season.

Regards
Dennis

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>I set mine on the patio and then transfer it into a nuc box at the end of the season.

You don't overwinter your OB hive indoors?

What are the most difficult aspects of try to maintain a hive indoors all through the winter?

Bill

[BWrangler]

Hi Bill and Everyone,

The bees do best with as little disturbance as possible while overwintering in Wyoming.
My ob hive was too active when overwintered indoors. The bees consumed too much food and the hive populations dwindle from the stress.

It's also very hard for the bees to rear small, batchs of brood in such a thin hive as the temps and humidity are harder for them to control.

So I put them in a nuc box and leave them outside. If the weather really gets nasty with below zero temps, etc, I move the nuc inside my garage which is unheated. They stay in the nuc until the climate moderates which is about the first of June, here.

Regards
Dennis