Observation Hive

[peteinwilts]

Hi Guys

As I was narrowly pipped to the post on an ebay observation hive (no bids apart from mine, until 3 seconds before the end.... gggrrr)..

.. I have decided to knock one up this weekend.

Looking at pictures on the interweb, it looks very straightforward, but am struggling to find decent plans.
I am quite happy to knock one up without plans, but am not entirely sure regarding a couple of concepts.

It has to be mobile and will only be used for talks, and therefore should be relatively lightweight. I have no doubt hardwood would be a better material, but as I have not found anywhere to buy hardwood in my area, I will just use pine (for Mk1 at least!)

My main question, is how do you get the frames in and out. Dropping them in from above seems far to clumsy, unless the space is an arm width apart. As the OH would be mobile, I presume the frames would be locked into place.

Does the glass slide out to gain access, or should there be a door?

I have not seen one in the flesh, so any pointers to plans, tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Pete

 

[dexter's shed]

with e bay I always put a test (low) bid in first, then wait until 20 seconds before it finishes to put my final larger bid in, very rarely loose

 

[peteinwilts]

with e bay I always put a test (low) bid in first, then wait until 20 seconds before it finishes to put my final larger bid in, very rarely loose

so it was you that outbid me!

 

[dexter's shed]

lol, not this time

 

[Russel]

We have both the swivel glass 3 frame and the nuc box with observation window above similar to the Ulster BK's. The former has been consigned to a dark corner of the apiary shed,whilst the later is used throughout the season.
What do you need to know?

 

[Anduril]

http://www.beesource.com/files/obsrhive.pdf
You could modify this one.

 

[einsteinagogo]

I always bid in the last 3 seconds...

was it this auction

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beekeeping-Observation-Hive-/291430594218

The observation hives I've seen have slots, where the lugs of the frame fit into.

 

[peteinwilts]

I always bid in the last 3 seconds...

was it this auction

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beekeeping-Observation-Hive-/291430594218

The observation hives I've seen have slots, where the lugs of the frame fit into.

it was!

 

[peteinwilts]

http://www.beesource.com/files/obsrhive.pdf
You could modify this one.

I also found this. The hinges are on the top bar, and 'presume' (?) the glass slides out to get the frames in and out.

If I were simulating a hive, I would have a strip of QX between the brood box and a couple of super frames, and for teaching would be good to get a few drones in the hive also.

The only way I can think of doing this is to create a side entrance to put the bees in the bottom compartment.

 

[peteinwilts]

I always bid in the last 3 seconds...

was it this auction

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beekeeping-Observation-Hive-/291430594218

The observation hives I've seen have slots, where the lugs of the frame fit into.

personally, I think ebay should be like a proper auction. If a bid is placed, it should extend the end time by a few minutes.... more money for those selling, paypal and ebay...

... and stop the dirty rotten tricks gazumping innocent folk!

 

[Thymallus]

with e bay I always put a test (low) bid in first, then wait until 20 seconds before it finishes to put my final larger bid in, very rarely loose

Try using one of the sniping engines, like Hammersnipe, saves you waiting around and you get three free bids placed per week.

 

[einsteinagogo]

personally, I think ebay should be like a proper auction. If a bid is placed, it should extend the end time by a few minutes.... more money for those selling, paypal and ebay...

... and stop the dirty rotten tricks gazumping innocent folk!

It was not me that outbid you, but I was surprised it sat there without a bid all this time, and a bid was made, and then another bid came in....

I don't bid on auctions like this any more, because of "hired hands" that help people bid on items, pushing the price up....

I hear it all the time in my workplace, people asking if they will bid on their ebay item, to push the price up, and then Submit Second Offers to people, if a work colleague wins!

of course, ebay does not care, they win all round...

 

[Dishmop]

Try using one of the sniping engines, like Hammersnipe, saves you waiting around and you get three free bids placed per week.

I pay $6 a year for the snipe bidder I use and it will place my bid at 3 seconds before end.

I make up my mind how much I want to pay, set the snipe, and then forget about it..

 

[Dishmop]

Re obs hive...........

All the ones I have seen on ebay have probably been made to fit a certain location and may not be any good for you...

Mine is a swivel one. The swivel is made from rigid white waste water pipe and the entrance tube is connected to this from the hole in the wall.
Originally I made it for 2 frames but then altered it to take 4 frames.2 up and 2 down. Made a couple of mistakes...a, I have to chop about an inch off the frame lugs and b, the entrance shut off door could be better..When I take the hive off the wall frames I always expect a few to escape into the lounge. Small hand vacumm cleaner gets them though.

You need to give lots of thought to designing a double door airlock type trap.
Dont make one with hinged front/back glass doors..........beause the bees dont get out of the way when you want to close them up after you have opened them up.

 

[pargyle]

so it was you that outbid me!

I use sniping software that fires a bid off in the last three seconds ... I just put the maximum I want to bid into the program and leave it to get on with it. The nice thing about it is that you are not committed to a bid - so if you see a better option you can cancel the snipe before a bid goes anywhere near ebay.

There are quite a few sniping software programmes available - I use a subscribed one which operates from the USA called AuctionRaptor .. but there are free ones as well. I often win, sometimes I get outbid - but it takes away (from me at any rate) that desire to put in just one more bid, one more £, so I don't get carried away with 'auction fever'. It also means that my maximum bid is hidden until 3 seconds before the auction ends so other bidders do not have time to react ...

I know .. people hate those last three second bids ... but on this occasion - it wasn't me !

 

[wessexmario]

I've seen a few designs where both the ability to easily manipulate the frames, and final closing mechanism, have left a lot to be desired.
Looking at dishmop's first photo of his 2-up 2-deep OH, I would have thought a good manageable design would be fixed glass, floor and roof, and you slide the frames in from the side. The closing cover could then be a narrow drop down slide in two grooves, gravity being your friend in keeping it closed. (with an additional bolt for security)

 

[pargyle]

It has to be mobile and will only be used for talks, and therefore should be relatively lightweight. I have no doubt hardwood would be a better material, but as I have not found anywhere to buy hardwood in my area, I will just use pine (for Mk1 at least!)


Cheers
Pete

A couple of our Association members have ones very similar to this which we take to the various events we attend .. they work very well but, obviously, you need a nucleus of bees available to put in it ... they just transfer the frames from the Nuc into the Obs box for the day - the bees don't seem to mind being confined. Ours have a mesh panel in the top which allows people to smell the bees and when it has been warm a mist of water through the mesh seems to help. A cloth cover when they are not being observed helps as well.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Observati...843?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9db7cafb

The photos show the construction very well on this listing - perhaps you've already seen it ?

 

[Dishmop]

I've seen a few designs where both the ability to easily manipulate the frames, and final closing mechanism, have left a lot to be desired.
Looking at dishmop's first photo of his 2-up 2-deep OH, I would have thought a good manageable design would be fixed glass, floor and roof, and you slide the frames in from the side. The closing cover could then be a narrow drop down slide in two grooves, gravity being your friend in keeping it closed. (with an additional bolt for security)

Possibly, but you have to give thought to getting the frames out once the bees have glued them in. With mine I remove the glass one side and take out two of the frames with bias and bees and put them in a nuc.

I replace the glass door/s on mine by sliding it over and pushing the bees out of the way. Also while the glass is off the hive I can give it a good clean.

 

[Dishmop]

In January the obs hive bees decided to go on flyabout.......Most didnt come back.

They did this a few more times for no reason that I could see, and of course each time the amount of bees got less.

I could see there was much I could do with them, but then I saw that the queen was still there.
Later I saw her laying but seemed a longish time before I saw any larvae..then later there was capped brood and more larvae visible.

Very slowly the brood nest is increasing in size and and there are more foragers every day.
I can only see bees on one side of one frame but there may be more in the middle because sometimes I cant find the queen and wonder if she has gone to the other side of the frame.

Disregard the leaf.
What you can see in the cells is what they have collected from foraging.

[/URL]

 

[Dishmop]

and this is what the hive looked like on 5th April last year.