# Not Much Experience



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I don't have much experience with Observation Hives. A Nature Center had me stock their Ob Hive. Three deep frames and a shallow frame. My concern is that I may have put too many adult bees in the hive. How does one know how many is too many when installing the frames and the bees? How does one control that?


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## eltalia (Jun 12, 2017)

sqkcrk said:


> I don't have much experience with Observation Hives. A Nature Center had me stock their Ob Hive. Three deep frames and a shallow frame. My concern is that I may have put too many adult bees in the hive. How does one know how many is too many when installing the frames and the bees? How does one control that?


There are papers out there Mark on bees per cubic, I read one not so long back. Try a g00gle?
That same paper described maxed out queen laying, all relative in an OB applicaon.

Cheers.

Bill


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## brushwoodnursery (Feb 10, 2012)

Trouble is, they're going to fill/swarm/fill/swarm a lot at that size. The population they leave behind will be lower and the chances of losing the new queen are high (x percent chance by y times each year. I wouldn't consider initial stocking as much as time commitment to ongoing maintenance. The OH I manage at a local nature center was trouble at 5 deeps. I modified it (lucky it was built with a false back wall) to 9 deeps and it's been much better. That said, it's rare to see the queen and there are plenty of times brood isn't on the face but we discussed all that and they're happy with the educational display the way it is.


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