# Getting bees into observation hive. Will this work?



## gibby937 (May 16, 2011)

I purchased the plans from Bonterra and built their swing view hive. It turned out very nice! I converted the entrance from the bottom to the top by making some slight adjustments. I was trying to get the entrance a little higher on the outside of the house for pedestrian traffic. I also inserted a tapered roller bearing on the bottom pivot to make it swing very smooth and easy. I will be getting a package for the hive in a couple of weeks. I understand the typical install of package bees into the observation hive. I was thinking of trying something a little different like the following:

build a small adapter to attach on top of the package of bees. I would insert a piece of metal into the adapter to close off the package to keep the bees in the package box. I would rig up a support to hold the box on its end so that the package opening and one of the screened vents on the observation hive line up. Then insert about a 3-4" PVC pipe into the adapter then into the vent hole of the observation hive (after removing the screen in the vent hole.) Slide out the piece of metal from the adapter allowing the bees to travel into the observation hive. Of course removing the queen cage first and installing her on top of the frames through the top vent hole. The package and adapter would be in the bottom vent hole. This also would allow me to leave the feeding hole vacant so that I could refill the feeder tray if needed. Once the bees are in, reinstall the screen in the vent hole when the space is vacant from bees. 

This would allow me to watch the bees travel into the hive and would keep me from having the take the hive outside to install the package. Do you think this would work? I know I can make parts to make it happen. Do you think the bees would travel into the hive to the queen with out being dumped into the hive? I am sure it would take longer, but I am not all that concerned with the time factor. Thank you for your input. I will post pictures of the hive. It looks very nice. Great design by Bonterra.


----------



## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

Congrats on your new observation hive i built the swing view a year ago and love it.As far as the installation of your package it sounds doable if they can pick up the queens cent.It may take a while to find her but once they start fanning i think things will be Ok,good luck.


----------



## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

The main reason I've always wanted an Obs. hive was to be able to put in a frame of eggs and watch the bees make a queen then make a go of it.


----------



## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

QUOTE]I agree with you,last year i watched a queen hatch out and got to see the queen returning from fer mating flight with the male parts still attached to her,that was pretty cool.


----------



## beyondthesidewalks (Dec 1, 2007)

It is cool. I know that's all old hat knowledge passed down from Huber but it's really neat to see it for yourself, I think. To think he was blind and couldn't even see his observations. What a shame.


----------

