Making an observation hive

[SWEET]

Yep zero difference (the laugh icon was the friendly clue )

Anyway, something else (bit different) but very cool. Yet to put bees into it, you could make or purchase one of these from Germany.

 

[Sutty]

If building your own (with standard deep frames to suit whatever other hives your run) I'd suggest keeping the frames exactly standard rather than shortening the lugs to make it easy to swap frames.
A plastic end on the lugs makes positioning it easy and reliable.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I'm not sure I follow you. What are plastic ends for if you have a stack of single frames?

Re leaving 38mm lugs as they are: with beespace of say 8mm, that leaves 30mm of BS frame lug length to be accommodated in the grooves in the sides. Apart from the hive needing thick sides to allow you to do that without weakening the structure, isn't there more likelihood of frames getting stuck in the groove, literally? In fact, shortening lugs in the field is no problem if you carry loppers with you. I'd rather not say why this is something I have to do from time to time!

 

[Sutty]

I'm not sure I follow you. What are plastic ends for if you have a stack of single frames?

Re leaving 38mm lugs as they are: with beespace of say 8mm, that leaves 30mm of BS frame lug length to be accommodated in the grooves in the sides. Apart from the hive needing thick sides to allow you to do that without weakening the structure, isn't there more likelihood of frames getting stuck in the groove, literally? In fact, shortening lugs in the field is no problem if you carry loppers with you. I'd rather not say why this is something I have to do from time to time!

Plastic ends mean you can ensure equal bee-space on each side if the design where the lug sits constrains it appropriately.
Shortening lugs just means more space for the bees to fill with propolis, and prevents automatically getting the right bee-space at the frame sides in a normal hive.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Shortening lugs just means more space for the bees to fill with propolis, and prevents automatically getting the right bee-space at the frame sides in a normal hive.

I agree that there might be some (small) issues when frames are returned to normal hives. But I don't really see how full length lugs are practical in an observation hive, at least in the way I'm planning things. I'll have the frame lugs sitting in a groove cut in the sides of the hive. I'm thinking the groove would be 10mm deep, with a stop to ensure the frame slid exactly into the middle of the hive, equidistant from the glass on each side.

 

[Sutty]

Here's a few pictures of mine, there should be a leather washer on the base around the hollow wooden pivot.
2 deep frames & one shallow.
Heavy duty oak frame attaches to the wall and the hive installs easily in it.
Surprisingly they never built in the bottom entry/exit box.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't really see how full length lugs are practical in an observation hive,

that's how the majority of observation hives are constructed

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Here's a few pictures of mine, there should be a leather washer on the base around the hollow wooden pivot.
2 deep frames & one shallow.
Heavy duty oak frame attaches to the wall and the hive installs easily in it.
Surprisingly they never built in the bottom entry/exit box.

Great. Thanks for showing these. I see how the sides are and how full length lugs can be accommodated if you build it this way.

I don't think bees build comb below the bottom frame even though it's many times bigger than beespace - I think it's part of the the way they do things in a natural nest.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

that's how the majority of observation hives are constructed

I understand it better now with @Sutty's pictures. Everything I've seen on the web (and there were no examples with BS frames) simply has a groove about 8-10mm deep for the lugs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't think bees build comb below the bottom frame even though it's many times bigger than beespace - I think it's part of the the way they do things in a natural nest.

in a natural nest they will just keep on building down until they reach the bottom. give them too much space below the bottom bar in a conventional hive and they will build below it, more lively to happen in an observation hive as they have less space so will take advantage of any available space

 

[Poly Hive]

If you are going the single frame route and frankly an ob with double or treble frames is a waste of time as the queen will pretty much always be out of sight. The problem with the single frame is it is very difficult for the bees to maintain brood temperatures so when not being looked at it needs to be kept insulated. As for dimensions... it's simple. glass to wax is brood space. Then it's really complicated as it's bee space all round. Keep to that and it's honestly simple. I made one to that spec for demos in schools and it worked very well indeed.

The larger one which was in an unheated lecture room always died out due to temperature.

PH

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

glass to wax is brood space. Then it's really complicated as it's bee space all round. Keep to that and it's honestly simple.

I'm going for 45mm glass to glass with 8-9mm beespace everywhere. Not sure what you mean by 'glass to wax is brood space.'

I realise this is a warm weather project because it will be in a shed.

 

[SWEET]

The problem with the single frame is it is very difficult for the bees to maintain brood temperatures so when not being looked at it needs to be kept insulated.

Zero issues with mine; when not being looked at there are thin ply few mm covers (mainly for darkness) but even that is not really an issue. Room temp was 16-21 most of the year, hive temp 34 + management is key.

Bee space standard around frames/glass, some brace comb (little on glass) between frames was easy to break and remove frames when needed. Standard frames, slot them in position/centre and then don't move again, all good.

Hive mount even has vibration dampers, tube though wall is under pressure and simply slots into hole on side. There is a debris tray under the mesh floor that can be slid out and cleaned, unit has 4 vents + floor. Whole thing weights around 150kg, lot of oak. Bracket bolted to wall, there is also an oak leg as extra caution fitted when away on hols etc, bracket could prob hold a ton.

I'll take some images when time.

Maybe heat the shed, even better place inside house.

 

[SWEET]

Great for images.

 

[Poly Hive]

typo I meant bee space not brood space.

Dabos I was talking about an unheated space you are talking about a house though houses also have areas not heated esp nowadays. Two quite different things. The point being that for an ob colony to not only survive but also thrive they need to be at the right temperature.

PH

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I did get round to building an observation hive and stocked it a couple of weeks ago. The brood has all emerged, and I'm waiting for a queen to emerge. Looking at the traffic in the pipe is amusing. Sometimes I think they keep to the right. Perhaps I should have chosen a pipe of larger diameter. The hive is in a little shed. It was made from an old pine bed, so I just had to buy the pipe and the toughened glass (£70). I found a piece of 25mm Kingspan in a skip to make front and back covers.

I've enjoyed sitting watching them. I hope to get some decent photos.

 

[Sutty]

I did get round to building an observation hive and stocked it a couple of weeks ago. The brood has all emerged, and I'm waiting for a queen to emerge. Looking at the traffic in the pipe is amusing. Sometimes I think they keep to the right. Perhaps I should have chosen a pipe of larger diameter. The hive is in a little shed. It was made from an old pine bed, so I just had to buy the pipe and the toughened glass (£70). I found a piece of 25mm Kingspan in a skip to make front and back covers.

I've enjoyed sitting watching them. I hope to get some decent photos.

Must be a foreign strain of bees - proper British bees drive on the left of course!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Must be a foreign strain of bees - proper British bees drive on the left of course!

proper British bees WALK on the right!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

It's not just what you can see...

This morning, I can distinctly hear the new-emerged queen piping. If I understand this correctly, she is tooting to evoke a quacking response from any virgins still in cells. If she were to get a response, she would know that she could lead a swarm. This won't happen because she is the only queen.

The sound is too faint inside the hive too record. I'm surprised how sound-proof it is.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If she were to get a response, she would know that she could lead a swarm.

This is an interesting little piece
https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news...rth,avoiding direct competition between them.