beehive with glass (windows)

[nolkov]

Hi guys!
My name is Martin. I am a new around here. I am from Bulgaria and this year will be a beekeeper for first year. My hives will be located on 1300 m. above see level village - 3 LR.

I have a question in regards to a modification I saw 1 year ago of LR hive - it has windows.
Can you please tell me if you have met such hive and give me more info?
I am asking this because it is very cold winter up there and I think that a window on each box will be great for the winter and summer development of the brood. Of course for the summer I will hide the windows with something.

I appreciate any help, pics or opinions!

Cheers,

Martin

 

[VEG]

If its cold and you use glass you will get condensation on the glass(water) which will make the hive damp.

 

[nolkov]

I will use a small 3 glassed windows - the ones which are use in any home building. It is energy efficient and it doesnt do condense.

 

[rook66]

Hi Martin,
I came across this hive while attending the organic conference in your country ( Sunny Beach)last August

 

[nolkov]

Hi Rook,

10x for showing me this! Do you know more about this method of beekeeping? I was thinking that it would be more popular in some Northern European countries or regions not Bulgaria but I found another video of such hive again in Bulgaria. But after writing in several forums I dont get any answers from Bulgarian beekeepers, so I was hoping to write here and hope to get info If you can connect me with this guy I will be more than happy!!!

 

[drstitson]

many beekeepers in italy have played with transparent panels in various position in hives:

http://apicoltura.mastertopforum.ne...0&postorder=asc&highlight=arnia+vetro&start=0

In the UK a certain wragby based supplier sells a window for national brood boxes. you can also routinely get top bar equipment with windows.

 

[rook66]

Martin,
It was a beekeeper that a group visited, I hope you can read the details on his van

 

[nolkov]

Rook, drstitson,

10x for your posts! My wife knows Italian and read into the forum and we know that this method is used by a lady in Italy inly for observation purposes.
I know it has more applications and this is what I want to find One of the things is that the glass wall helps the colony into its spring development by increasing the temp. into the hive. What I want to do is to develop a hive with 3 glassed window that will prevent condense.
Rook I will contact the guys with the bus and will let you know if you are interested into this

Cheers,

Martin

 

[rowbow]

Seems like a good idea for a observation hive, to avoid cold and condensation use a 10mm double glazed unit total thickness 18mm, jig saw the hole out slightly over size to allow for silicon, fit unit flush with the inside, the silicon will hold the unit in if you drill a few holes in the edge of the box to act as a plug and use high modules silicon, then all you need is a thin ply cover to keep the light out

Regards
John

 

[Teemore]

If i remember correctly, in Germany some hives have a side of the brood box replaced with an observation window; unfortunately i cannot remember the web site i read this information on.....
An observation frame is right alongside the window and the idea is that by monitoring the activity on this frame it gives you a good indication of activity throughout the hive. I seem to remember that the practice is to cut back this comb periodically - a practice akin to drone culling i guess - and as the colony rebuilds, the rebuilt comb presents an up to date reflection of what is going on in the hive. This also keeps the bees building comb which I have been separately advised will help as one of a range of measures to deter swarming.

 

[nolkov]

Guys thanks a lot. A drone comb is known in Bulgaria s "building comb" technique. It is used to fight the varoa mite. It is well known that the mite is concentrated into drone brood - and some beekeepers remove this comb in order to remove the varoa mites into it.
I hear some opinions against this method. They say that the family needs drones to have proper development and that the absence of drones makes the family feel alarmed.
Rowbow - you describe the making of such hive quite professionally. Do you have one of these? Do you know why it is done despite looking into the hive with observational purposes? Do you think it matters for the Spring development of the family if it this windows is open for the sun?

 

[rowbow]

Hi no I do not have a glass walled hive, I am a carpenter/joiner that would be the method I would use, I think the brood box should be dark as much as possible to avoid aggravation, they do prefer dark places?

Regards

John http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[nolkov]

Hi John,
You might be right but it is true too that the light doesnt go directly over the brood. I am still researching the net about this. And when Summer comes I will go to the apiary yard near our cost line and will meet the guy who uses them and will share it with you

Cheers,

Martin

 

[rowbow]

thanks nolkov have a good year.

John

 

[wojciech]

Gillaume Hive

The Gillaume hive is a variant on the Warré hive which has a window in each box, allowing for observation without opening the hive. I've seen some manufactured by Mainholz Tischner in Poland and they were very well built, with the window well shielded by a removable shutter. See link : http://warre.************/guillaume.htm

I've also seen a subbestion that Th**nes manufacture some brood boxes with a window and shutter but I'm not sure if that is true as I have'nt noticed it in their shop or catalogue.

You can get a link to further info on the Natural Beekeeping forum

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I've also seen a subbestion that Th**nes manufacture some brood boxes with a window and shutter but I'm not sure if that is true as I have'nt noticed it in their shop or catalogue.

This the one?

Brood body observation panel

A neat design that allows you to look into the hive all year round, without upsetting your bees.
Simply replace one brood body inner board with the piece of polycarbonate and slot the wooden panel in place. Any time you want to have a look at the bees or show an enthusiast simply remove the panel.
The polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable and should be cleaned with warm water and a cloth (not your hive tool).
Available assembled as part of a brood body, flat as part of a brood body or as a separate item to add to an existing brood body.

 

[wojciech]

Massivholz Tischler Warre hives

The Gillaume hive is a variant on the Warré hive which has a window in each box, allowing for observation without opening the hive. I've seen some manufactured by Mainholz Tischner in Poland and they were very well built, with the window well shielded by a removable shutter. See link : http://warre.************/guillaume.htm

I've also seen a subbestion that Th**nes manufacture some brood boxes with a window and shutter but I'm not sure if that is true as I have'nt noticed it in their shop or catalogue.

You can get a link to further info on the Natural Beekeeping forum[/QUOTE

Sorry, I misspelt the name of the firm manufacturing the Warre /Gillaume hives that I've seen at a Bio Dynamic farm in Lincolnshire.

They are Massivholz-Tischler and the link to their webpage is

http://massivholz-tischler.at/xt/in....html&XTCsid=9587eb3ba60c9a19505dabc2477f1a2f