# Large OV hive with challenges ???



## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

Our club was asked to sponsor a large OV hive in a local Nature Center.
It needs to be solid glass on the inside with ALL work with the bees done from the outside of the building. 
They don't want any chance of bees inside the building.
The owner will build what we recommend.
I was thinking of 2 frames wide and 5 deep high.
My concern is what would be the best product to use on the back side other than glass that will make a good looking backing and work for the bees and needed maintenance.

I am thinking of something like this built in the wall.
http://pacscilife.blogspot.com/2014/07/busy-bees.html

What are some thoughts?


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

2 frames wide? Deep? So a 10 frame hive? People always want to see the queen. She'll never come out if she can hide between frames. More importantly you won't be able to see what's going on between the frames as the beekeeper. There's always a chance of bees inside the building if you've got a hive in the building. Some idiot yanks off something or breaks glass while doing God knows what and there'll be bees in the building. Working through the wall is trouble. A great opportunity for water and air leaks and it's going to be expensive to do that work correctly. If when the bees are gone it's a perfect way to break into a building. The little amount of air that my tube allows into my office cools my office 5-10 degrees during the winter. Get a movable one and haul it outside when you need to work on it. It's easier for you, lets both sides of the hive be seen (and the marked queen), and less expensive in both time and effort.


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks for the reply D Coates
It will be 2 wide and 1 deep 5 high.
I understand your thoughts as I have had the same one's.
The hard part may be convincing the owner on those concerns.

There builders will be building whatever we agree on for this.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Hoot Owl Lane Bees said:


> Thanks for the reply D Coates
> It will be 2 wide and 1 deep 5 high.
> I understand your thoughts as I have had the same one's.
> The hard part may be convincing the owner on those concerns.
> ...


Oh so the building isn't made yet? It still seems like a whole lot of trouble to go to instead of having a moveable hive. Have you contacted the folks you have the link of? That'd be where I'd start. 1deep, 2wide and 5 tall is twice as big as mine and would be impossible for anyone to safely carry. It's got to be on wheels to take outside and work. Someone made it and someone is working it and someone has some history to tell of it, possibly to the owner of your building


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## intothewind (Jul 17, 2016)

What might be best would be to have the observation hive outside, but then have it up against a window that way it can be seen on the inside. You'd probably want to build a little balcony over it so that it remains shaded, and then perhaps guests could view it from the outside, as well. 

D Coates: I have heard varying thing about the visibility of the queen in a 2 frame hive. My limited experience suggests that the queen will be out at least occasionally...she has to look for newly vacated cells in which to lay eggs. I suppose if the hive is dwindling the bees might preferentially rear brood on the inner facing sides of the frames? If you can run a support hive to keep it floating I think a one frame has many advantages for education.


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