# Observation Hive (OH) Enthusiasts'



## Ross

1.5" to 1.75". Go toward the low end if you are small cell.


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## franktrujillo

hello, I built 1 this year first one and of course like you need some ideas..the fist one i built is 4' high 33" wide tried for three frames but the bees corrected me 4 frames deep so back to the drawing board..They want 4 so ill make one the problem is the bees get confused with the light coming in from the glass they can not find the exit to easy..So I made several exits they still fumble around in the hive but not as much..still thinking about the size i would like to winter them over in it...One thing i was thinking about making 2 hives in the current observation hive..Spliting the two by a screen so they can share the heat.Also thinking of starting over since it got cold and the glass cracked.It didn't crack too far since the bees built there brace comb on the glass..As far as cell size i let them choose all natural comb for me.Just used plastic to get them started straight..I'm useing double pain house window wood frame.Eventually, since they are my pets, i would like to winter all my bees in them.Ok not all they multiply so darn fast  manage ment used standard deep frame..experances i started with one deep frame eggs med frame honey full capped one deep frame with comb barely started.
number of bees about 3lbs started 13th of july this year russian/carny eggs "split from hive from honey bee genitics"open mated 
6000'colorado..hives in yard ital/from R weaver and one feral hive "mutts" she has a full brood nest not one missed cell. Started laying i fourth comb last week..been helping with food gave half deep frame of honey caped there working on it..Bees starting to hatch 6 at a time that i can see from one side also bee population is increasing rapid now..enjoyable and learning so much..opcorn:


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## jbw

Should be a good thread. 1 3/4 works for me fine however must be sure that the frames are centered.


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## Bonterra Bees

Second Question;
How to deal with overcrowding in a 4 frame OH?

My queen in 4 frame OH filled all frames with brood. Now there's to many bees and to little stores. I'm thinking about putting an excluder in #2 OH to create a better balance? Managing a small indoor OH is a new ball game. Ideas??

Mark


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## jbw

Give a frame of bees to another colony from the OH and perhaps steal a bit of whatever is needed back for the donor OH. This year my bees made no honey so I have been feeding the OH constantly. Had I given them more food and pollen they may have been busting at the seams also.


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## Dubhe

Ross said:


> 1.5" to 1.75". Go toward the low end if you are small cell.


I built mine spot on to 1.5 inches. I squished quite a bit of comb closing it up, but the bees made it all good within a few days. I have very little burring on the glass with this spacing.


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## Bonterra Bees

OK OH designers; so far the consensus on ID” is 1 ½” to 1 ¾”. 
Assuming we’re shooting for; little or no burr on glass; no double layering of bees; and allowing for circumstantial variables i.e. adding frames from outside colonies, I’m going with 1 11/16 “ 
Next Question; Glass? Tempered?, dbl. strength?, One way?, Plastic? What? Considering safety of the public.
Mark


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## Michael Bush

If the bees in the observation hive are drawing all their comb 1 1/2" works great. The problem is that instead you are often stealing frames from a regular hive to stock an observation hive or give it a boost, so it works better to go with 1 3/4". More tends to get burr. Less is hard to get the frames from a hive in as if they are the least bit irregular they won't fit.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm#spacebetweenglass
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm#issues


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## Bonterra Bees

Next Question:
I'm thinking of adding a queen excluder to my next observation hive (ObH) to help manage a good balance between stores and brood. In a 4 frame (deep frames) I'd put it between #3 and 4 thus 3 frames of brood chamber 1 of stores?, it goes without saying I'll be feeding them thru the Maine Winter. Do excluders really work or are they problematic, or should I let the bees work out their own balance. Right now I've got overcrowding, letting them do their own management. Is it worth it to incorperate an excluder in the ObH design?
Mark

----------------------------------
"When I get to where I know what I'm doing........it ain't any fun anymore"


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## Michael Bush

I only saw the concept when the Ulster hives came out. Then it was not a full time observation hive, but just a way to get the queen and brood where people could observe while having enough bees that they can easily cool and care for the hive under the stressful conditions of an exhibit.

I have never considered using one in an observation hive that runs year around. I think it could get difficult to manage and I'm not sure it will help. If you limit the queen too much they may just replace her figuring she's not doing her job. She will lay double and triple eggs in the cells. etc.


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## Countryboy

I believe the primary purpose of a queen excluder is to prevent the queen from laying in the honey supers, and to eliminate the time required to check each frame to make sure you are removing only frames of honey.

With an observation hive, you can quickly see if a frame has brood or not. And you don't have frames in supers, so there is no time savings for not having to pull frames to check them for brood.

The only use I can think of for a queen excluder in an observation hive would be at the entrance as a queen includer to prevent absconding if you put small swarms in the hive.


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## Bonterra Bees

*Re: Observation Hive (ObH) Enthusiasts'*

I’ve gotta transfer an 8 frame deep, with a lot of brood and a lot of bees, into my new 5 frame deep ObH (observation hive). I can discard some comb but can I pack extra bees into the 5 frames? 
Help,
Mark:scratch:


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## Ross

*Re: Observation Hive (ObH) Enthusiasts'*

http://www.myoldtools.com/OBhive/OB3.jpg
http://www.myoldtools.com/OBhive/OB_Chapter1.htm
http://www.myoldtools.com/OBhive/OB_Chapter2.htm
http://www.myoldtools.com/OBhive/OB_Chapter3.htm


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## franktrujillo

now were talking about observation hive not the toys they sell..:lpf: http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad323/franktrujillo/100_0459.jpg http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad323/franktrujillo/beefuzz/100_0307-1.jpg just kidden


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## franktrujillo

The dimensions are 4 comb frames deep so bees can control temps better length 4' by 33" wide 3 exits on back the bottom frame space is for feeder frames.back on hinded door keeping and wintering over.nice ob hive


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## Specialkayme

Just wondering what the consensus is for introducing pollen into an OH. The only way I know how to is to crack it open and put it above the bottom frame of brood. Does anyone know a simpler method? Introducing through the sugar feeder?

Does anyone know where to get an entrance queen excluder? Or how to build one?


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## raosmun

There is a lot I do not know about your objective for building an observation hive or were you are in OH (I am in Findlay). My favoriate supply source is "Queen Right" in Spencer, OH (S & W of the greater Akron area, close to Medina/Lodi). They have a web site.
Anyway; Dansel built an observation "hive" out of an OLD double pane window frame, boxed in with OLD barn siding with hinged outter doors. This thing must be 2 1/2' X 4' and afixed to the outter wall of their sales/display operation. Don't know any particulars, but if in that area, give them a visit.
Very knowedgeable, very frendly, very competive pricing & hot dip woodware.
Just my 2cents worth.


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## jbw

Specialkayme said:


> Just wondering what the consensus is for introducing pollen into an OH. The only way I know how to is to crack it open and put it above the bottom frame of brood. Does anyone know a simpler method? Introducing through the sugar feeder?
> 
> Does anyone know where to get an entrance queen excluder? Or how to build one?


Good luck with your OH. If you have a place to feed sugar water to your OH you could introduce pollen there. I have done it in the spring. It would not be recommended this time of year however since it encourages brood rearing.


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## rkr

Specialkayme said:


> Just wondering what the consensus is for introducing pollen into an OH. The only way I know how to is to crack it open and put it above the bottom frame of brood. Does anyone know a simpler method? Introducing through the sugar feeder?


I have not tried it in this type of set up but I can't see why it would not work. :scratch: 

Mega Bee can be fed in a liquid!!!! Click for LINK 

Like most I have been dreaming up a hive to build. Here is my doodle for a hive that would mount on a outside wall and it has a Mega Bee feeder, as well as a syrup feeder. Maybe a small jar type as I don't think it would take that much to give them a boost. They also suggest you feed light syrup when giving them MegaBee. 









Just a thought. 

RKR
______


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## Maine_Beekeeper

Observation Hives are not stand alone hives pretty much by definition. You need support colonies to switch out brood and honey to keep the colony in balance. 

I have three ob hives, two in operation at the moment. (only two holes drilled in the house and that's one past the limit as far as the Almost Perfect Husband is concerned)

the three I have are: 
4 deep frames, two high, two across - stacked like hive bodies
6 medium frames, two high two across - stacked like hive bodies
8 medium frames, two high and two across - cabinet style with swing open door 

I like the two across setup as it allows the bees to cluster. The only other OB hives in my area are at the Children's museum, Gilsland Farm Audubon, and Pineland. All of these are 3 or 4 deeps single wide and they all regularly die out, often in the summer and always over winter. (I don't manage any of them but I have supplied the bees/queen on several occasions.) 

I haven't lost an ob hive colony at my home yet. I attribute this to the two across setup/ clustering space. I do move the colony out in spring first thing and let them grow into a full colony. Then repopulate with a small colony in summer or fall. 

Photos in my photobucket of the first medium ob hive here:
http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j37/Maine_Beekeeper/New Observation Hive/

I did have my traveling observation hive "plugged in" to one of the holes in the house this summer - a little ob hive with one deep and one shallow but I had a series of events so I thought I'd try to keep it going instead of bothering the hives every 10 days - 2 weeks. The queen would lay up the entire hive (as you say) to the point where I worried that two or three days of rain would starve them. I'd steal the shallow of brood and replace with uncapped honey - they'd devour the honey and the queen would lay up the frame again. Finally I got an Ulster hive at EAS, moved the ob hive to a deep + shallow nuc and they're all set up for winter now. 

Healthy colonies want to grow. 

Have fun with your OB hive, they're the best learning tool there is. 
-E.


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## Bonterra Bees

Maine_Beekeeper said:


> Observation Hives are not stand alone hives pretty much by definition. You need support colonies to switch out brood and honey to keep the colony in balance.
> 
> Hey Erin
> I read with great interest your post on *Observation Hive (OH) Enthusiasts'* a thread I started. I have to say you’ve added a great deal of definitive info. to the thread.
> I am determined to bring the knowledge and enjoyment bees to a wider audience and there is no better way to do the than with an observation hive, for beekeepers, new beekeepers and non-beekeepers. I’m trying to create an optimum design and your experience and comments are greatly appreciated.
> It does seem to me that one of the central problems in getting an ObH thru a long winter is their need to “cluster”. Indeed I’ve had an Obh; 4 deep frames, two high, two across(allowing for better clustering) and it survived 10 years, in mid west winters, with out ever opening it, until I moved. Of course most of the action took place where you couldn’t see it.
> I’ve got two single wide; a 4deep and a 5deep going now. They both have solved their own problems since this last spring; including creating a new queen and over crowding. They’ve plenty of honey and plenty of bees and good queens to start this winters mode. But, up here, it’s a long long while till spring and were probably talking Jan and Feb. 10 to 0- degree weather. It’s going to bee a stretch.
> I’m just pondering??; is it a temperature thing, a genetic thing, what? In a single wide.
> I wonder about “life span” problem between laying seasons??
> 
> What can be done to get a single wide to survive the winter??
> 
> Thanks again for your valuable knowledge and I look forward to your comments.
> Mark
> 
> Here’s a video of my current designs, I hope it works;
> 
> http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad21/bonterrabees/?action=view&current=ObHpromo.flv


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## Maine_Beekeeper

Very nice looking OB hive. 

Perhaps a two by three option might be an additional offering.

A good quality fit and finish are key and it looks like yours has that!

Fantastic!


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## Bonterra Bees

Well Observation Hive Enthusiasts'
I’m wondering what you have been using for entrance tubing and fittings and what kind of systems have worked for you?
How far will bees travel from the outside entrance- thru a tube- to the hive, how many elbows and joints can they manage?
I have had about 4 ft. of clear 1 ½” plastic visible in the house work well. I wonder what the limits are? 
What kinda experiences have you had that didn’t work?

Mark


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