An odd thought about a natural observation hive.

[TokerM]

I have a vision, now I need to see if people think it's feasible.

Here's how I came about to this point. I was thinking about building an observation hive, sometime in the distant future, to go in a store that doesn't exist yet. While I do like the frame ob hives, I thought, "Wouldn't it be a great showpiece to have a large, natural hive." We've all seen the pics of 5' hanging combs in neat stacks in open, feral colonies. Some of them being so large that they must have been thriving there for years. My idea is to get that type structure under glass.

Hence, I come to this forum. I'm hoping that a TBH type set-up would work to get them started, Essentially building a large (24-30" square or rectangular,) glass walled box, from counter-height to ceiling, with starter strips on the top end.

Any thoughts on where this can all go horribly wrong? I'm going to need to rely on the girls building lots of comb straight down. The whole thing will need to be accessible and removable, of course. As I'm a mechanical designer by trade, I always have ACAD running and I usually doodle designs of things, so before I started playing with creating a design layout, I thought I'd get some input.

[Tom Brueggen]

If you're wanting to do a long hive (counter to ceiling) I think it would be nearly impossible to have it be removable/accessible. My TBH's have a viewing window, but what about doing an entire TBH out of plexiglass? What about a thin metal skeleton, coated with glass that could be removed while still keeping the hive intact?

I would just be sure to use plexiglass or something shatterproof. Last thing you would want in your imaginary store would be an imaginary disaster where someone knocks something into a glass beehive and unleashes chaos.

Here is another thought. If you want it to be BIG, how about you do a section of the wall where it is like a natural wall cavity (6-8" thick). Make the inside glass, so people in the store could see. Make the outside like a door, where if needed you could simply open the door and access the entire hive. You risk brace comb ripping loose, but it wouldn't be enough to collapse the combs. Plus, like this, when you do have to work the hive, you would access it from outdoors, so you wouldn't have to worry about bees flying through the store. Making the cavity long, narrow, and tall would enhance the construction of long impressive combs since they would quickly need to build down.

I like where you are going with this. It will be neat to see what you come up with. Good luck.

[TokerM]

Hey... If you're gonna dream, dream big!

I see what you're saying, How controllable can I get with directing comb building? With your idea, I'm thinking deeper joists (12-18" in the hive,) and letting them run through 4-5 wall sections. It would be nice to get them to build one section 90 deg to the other, brace comb aside. Sadly, if I go that route there is little for me to design (I like designing things,) until I get my hands on my imaginary property to build my imaginary store. Best estimate before I can sell my company and "retire" is 5-7 years.... I really do like thinking ahead!

[Karen1611]

When it happens I hope you will take tons of pictures and post them for us to see. It would be cool to see a weekly up date of their progress.

[ch.cool]

Hi,
just Google observation hive and found this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42642055@N00/1343617277/ pretty cool.

Hope it helps for the dream.

ch.cool

[Maddox65804]

two problems with Obs hive to remember:
1. If the comb is more than one comb thick, the queen will almost always be hidden in the middle. Not a big problem if the goal is only to have the novelty of a working hive that is visible.

2. the glass/plexiglass in obs. hives gets continually dirty by the bees walking around and coating it with propolis and wax. So, for a continually operating obs hive, there needs to be a way to remove and clean the glass periodically.

If the hive were built into a wall -great idea by the way - set up a system so you can slide a knife between the door and the combs before you open it. (they use a piece of wire pulled tight in Japan and in Warre type hives). That would help eliminate the problems with ripping up combs when the door was opened. Anyone who has worked TBHs or natural comb will tell you that they are fragile and will easily be pulled askew when adjacent surfaces are moved and the burr comb attachments pull the combs sideways.

this is cool. Please send us pictures

[Ben Franklin]

Hey... If you're gonna dream, dream big!

I see what you're saying, How controllable can I get with directing comb building? With your idea, I'm thinking deeper joists (12-18" in the hive,) and letting them run through 4-5 wall sections. It would be nice to get them to build one section 90 deg to the other, brace comb aside. Sadly, if I go that route there is little for me to design (I like designing things,) until I get my hands on my imaginary property to build my imaginary store. Best estimate before I can sell my company and "retire" is 5-7 years.... I really do like thinking ahead!

I wish you well and hope your dreams come true. Planning ahead for retirement is such a good idea it should be mandatory. Why?? You ask. Well sit around for awhile with nothing to do. The first few weeks it may be ok. But then you get ichting to do something (other then be on beesource 24/7. Take it from me, I was retired on disability. I knew what I wanted to do and soon learned I could do some of the things I had planned on.
As for your Natural Observation Hive. I have no suggestions, but I would love to see it. Good Luck.

[cerezha]

Look in "Perone hive" - it is sort of cube with slotted lid instead movable frames. Good luck, Sergey

[Matt Gwinn]

seems like a warre hive would be what you want. In fact here's one made of plexi (scan down near the bottom): http://warre.biobees.com

You could make this go from floor to ceiling pretty easily.