# New to beekeeping , will this work?



## Jrking01 (Jan 3, 2017)

I'm new to beekeeping and just logged on the forum...
I've been working on 2 identical observation hives I built out of tempered glass , cedar 4x4's and un treated pine. the hives r 3 tiered and all 3 tiers are deep frames fitted with a metal queen excluder between the top and mid frames. 
My questions...
1 can I place a queen excluder on the bee entrance/ exit to keep the queen inside the hive? 

2 should this setup be placed in partial sun to keep the heat out of the glass enclosed frame. 
After building the setup I read hives are to be placed in full sun.... Not this one , they will cook!!
Thoughts? 

Just looking for honest feedback on anything that needs to be done on the hives before I invest in bees... 
Thanks, Jim


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

The Observation should be completely out of the sun! indirect light for your observation is great but a drape or cover to keep the bees in the dark when you are not looking at them will help slow the buildup of wax and propolis on the glass in there attempt to shut out that light. I suppose you could put a queen excluder on but how would drones exit? They will be produced and plug the entrance. The excluder above is to keep bees out of a honey frame I assume. But an observation hive colony needs to have regular population control or they will become over populated and swarm pretty fast. Periodically, you will need to pull brood frames to keep the population from exploding. A frame of brood may have over three pounds of bees emerging as they mature. Your OH can only hold fewer than that without being over crowded. The point of relating all that is that an excluder is not of much benefit. You will need to exchange frames of brood regularly with foundation frames to keep the population balanced.


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## Jrking01 (Jan 3, 2017)

Pardon the newbee questions...
I had planned to use this oh the same as one would use a 3 tiered hive. I am planning honey extraction from the top tier. Your post suggests the oh will become overpopulated too quick. Why would the oh become anymore overpopulated than a standard hive that's 3 tiers? 
I know I need to take a class!!! Hahaha


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

My impressions-
The woodworking is very nice.

Most people want to observe things like bee emergence, egg laying and so forth that take place on the face of the comb. In your hive these activities will take place mostly inside the blocks of comb.

You have left a rather large vertical space between the tiers of frames. The bees will fill that space with comb. It may be interesting to watch that happen though.

Put some bees in it and see what happens. My guess is the bees will thrive.

Good luck
Bill


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

That's some big gaps between the frames. Take it apart and try try again.


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## becsbeehive (Oct 29, 2016)

You can always test with a smaller population


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

My first question would be .
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INSPECT THE BOTTOM FRAMES?
Does it come apart like wood hive boxes?


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## Jrking01 (Jan 3, 2017)

hello, yes it comes apart vertically. I would remove the top then work down to remove the bottom frames. 
As far as the gaps... Would I be correct that the bees will fill in the space with comb? My plan was to remove the comb during inspection. 
I know inspection and gathering honey will be more difficult than a regular hive but I built this with the purpose of watching the hive grow and hopefully prosper and less about gathering honey. 
thanks, Jim


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## ch.cool (Aug 22, 2012)

Hi,

it looks nice, but you should read about bee space first. It looks like you will have burr comb everywhere and working your way down to inspect cutting through all that burr comb will be a big mess. you definitely should change that and plan some ventilation in your hive too even in the shade you bees will cook.

Christian


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

Jr
Have you put on a val and tried removing the bottom frames.
I would guess the glass is 30" or so.
You may have to put your head in the hive to get the frames out of the bottom.
It looks nice but I think you will end up with a big mess when the bees fill in all of the open space.

I have a 3 frame OH and they fill any area over 3/8" with comb.
Good luck


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## Jrking01 (Jan 3, 2017)

Thanks for all the feedback. 
I spent a bit of time and moved the frames this evening and hopefully got the spacing closer to how it should be setup. I'll have to think about filling in the space between the glass and the frames... Maybe a double pane glass ??
The glass I have was free and I have a bit left. I can now reach the bottom frames pretty easy without putting my head inside the hive. 
Thanks again, Jim



















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

It's looking better Jr.
Are you using a bottom entrance?
If not build a false bottom or cut the top down or they will make a real mess in that large space down there.
Have you checked Michael Bush web sight concerning Observation Hives?


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I'd strongly recommend against having the bottom that far away. The dead bees and trash that will end up down there will be a magnet for SHB's and turn into a putrefied mess down there that will be very difficult to clean out. As this hive will have to be in the shade SHB's will already be uncomfortably strong. Giving them an undefended place to lay eggs is a recipe for disaster. I'm not telling you not to have an OB hive but I am saying you will be VERY well served to get some actual experience beekeeping before diving into a OB hive. There are soooo many things you will learn getting into beekeeping. An OB hive doubles this and then some. It also gives you a bit of a false understanding if you don't have regular hives.


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## Jrking01 (Jan 3, 2017)

I'm going to work on the bottom entrance tonight. Can anyone offer how much distance should be between the bottom of the frame and the floor of the hive? I'm also wanting to add a tray inside for food like the sugar water mixture I read about. Looking to have the tray on the base of the inside with a way to fill the tray from outside the hive... Tube through the cedar 4x4??
Also looking to have the floor be remove able so I can clean it out. 
Thanks all for the info. 
Next step will be to add vents. 
Jim


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Any space in the hive between parts should be 5/16" to 3/8", this is known as beespace. It's best at 5/16". Bees fill spaces less than 1/4" with bur bomb or propolis, and spaces over 3/8" get bur combed. If the space is 5/16" to 38" they leave it open for travelling room for the bees.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Feeding is typically done at or near the top of the hive. Some use frame feeders that replace a frame or two in the hive, Some use Miller type feeders that sit above the frames (there are plans in the buildit section of this site which your obvious woodworking skills will allow you to adapt). Many use jars or cans with small holes in the lid inverted over a hole in the top of the hive. Most will advise against feeders that sit near the entrance since they can promote robbing.
Bill


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

It does not appear the hive can be broken apart into individual deeps. How are you planning to expand or contract the size of the hive as the colony starts up? Putting a swarm/package or 5 frame nuc into a hive with 25 to 30 undrawn frames is a recipe for trouble. Are you going to use blanking plates to adjust the size of the hive?


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