Outdoor observation hive: design, concepts, experience

**Ben Brewcat** · 12-26-2011, 03:03 PM

Hey y'all,
The good folks at my local sustainability farmette are interested in an observation hive, but none of the current structures really have a good place for it. I have other colonies at the site. I teach new-beek classes there, and a LOT of the folks who come through there would really be interested an observation hive. It's close to my house so I could easily manage the colony. I see the design for Bonterra's outdoor double-wide has been finalized and gone to production but I haven't seen one or heard any reports.

Anyone had trials/successes with outdoor OBs in moderate cold-weather climates? My area's dead-o-winter lows average about 15F, with VERY occasional spikes down to single digits. Cold, I know. Hot dry summers. Overwintering it in an unheated shed isn't out of the question for me, but I'd appreciate anyone's experience they would share especially from similarly cold climates.

**AmericasBeekeeper** · 12-26-2011, 06:22 PM

I do not have the cold challenges. The bees left because of sun exposure in my outdoor observation hive. Cavity dwellers are so sensitive!

**franktrujillo** · 12-26-2011, 08:13 PM

hi ben i live in a cold climate t 6000' this is my second winter with outside observation hive.last year i used a three frames wide well the didn't make it i redesigned it now currently i have 2 in testing rite now.temps get to -10 for 2 weeks here....i will have the results in march since that is when the maples bloom so far there ok......

**Ben Brewcat** · 12-26-2011, 08:16 PM

Did they starve? Freeze? Varroiasis?

**cg3** · 12-27-2011, 07:05 AM

How about a TBH with a window in the side? Not really an OH, but a peek at the bees scurrying around inside satisfies most folks.

**franktrujillo** · 12-27-2011, 09:15 AM

they froze in the observation hive received a cold snap.i guess not enough frames for proper temp regulation....this year there looking good....

**dkvello** · 12-30-2011, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Ben Brewcat

Hey y'all,
I see the design for Bonterra's outdoor double-wide has been finalized and gone to production but I haven't seen one or heard any reports

I building Bonterra's "Garden" Hive now. They do make room for 1 inch foam panels over the glass and inside the doors. The plans are not that great, missing steps, and a fair amount of "go to page whatever" and see what we did there. A basic materials list would have been nice, would have saved me a trip or two the the lumber yard. Of course, so would have better planning on my part. It seems soild and well thought out, with a good ventaltion plan. But for $32 bucks and some quality time in the garage during the winter, not a bad deal. I figure I will be about $150-175 all in when done.

**Acebird** · 12-30-2011, 01:18 PM

I haven't done this but if you wanted to go the expense of using triple pane e glass the bees should be fine. There are even window designs that have internal shutters or blinds. The R factor can't be much different than wood so it should keep the heat out in the summer and the heat in in the winter. Just a thought.

**Ben Brewcat** · 12-30-2011, 04:49 PM

Hmmm that's an interesting thought, except you'd still get most of the solar gain in sunlight.

**whiskers** · 12-30-2011, 05:15 PM

Here I go again- Suppose one builds two boxes that will hinge together along the back vertical edge. Each box wide enough to hold say three frames and say two frames high. The outer surface to be solid, perhaps transparent, and with some provision for loading in the frames. The inner surface to be screen. Some sort of bellows will have to be provided so the bees can proceed (if they will) around the hinge from one side to the other. When open one would observe the bees through the screen. For clarification if one drilled through the (closed) hive one would hit outer surface, frame, frame, frame, screen, screen, frame, frame, frame, outer surface.

Now questions-
Will the fact that the two sides share air cause the bees to treat both sides as a single hive?
Will they lead the queen to put brood on both sides?

Potential advantages-
If the answer to both questions above is yes one would hope that upon opening the boxes one would be viewing the center of the brood nest.
Because there is more side to side mass one would hope for a more successful winter cluster to form (probably removing the screens for the winter).

Problems-
I am so far unable to visualise a connection between the sides that isn't a gross beespace violation but that is just an engineering problem.

The purpose of this is to evoke comments so have at it. Perhaps I who currently have no bees will have to get some and research this myself.

Bill

**Acebird** · 12-30-2011, 05:30 PM

wiskers, you want to separate the brood with screens in the middle? I don't like that for an exterior hive unless the climate is always warm.

**Acebird** · 12-30-2011, 05:27 PM

Ben I don't think so. That is the advantage of e glass. It has metal particles in the glass that reflects the rays of the sun and keeps the interior space cool. It does have a little greenish tint to it but I don't think that will bother the bees. Triple pane is to get the better R factor for the winter. Depending on how bad your winter is you might be able to get away with double pane. Of course you would have to go to a replacement window company to make the special size for the hive. It might be costly.