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Author Topic: Single frame observation hive.  (Read 7134 times)

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #20 on: November 08, 2022, 07:43:03 am »
The nice thing about a two frame hive is you can give them a frame of brood and bees and the queen, and another frame of honey.  This has advantages both in being able to show people the difference and keeping the bees fed.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #21 on: November 08, 2022, 03:05:12 pm »
That?s a good idea Michael. My initial thinking was to have a frame of brood with honey around the top but I  now may have to reconsider. Thanks for that point.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #22 on: November 08, 2022, 07:30:54 pm »
Yes even people who know little about bees like to see the queen. At least I did when I was a small child looking at an observation hive at the Fair....

Phillip
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Online The15thMember

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #23 on: November 08, 2022, 07:53:32 pm »
Yes even people who know little about bees like to see the queen. At least I did when I was a small child looking at an observation hive at the Fair....

Phillip
A year or two before I got bees, when I was still researching them, we were visiting a farm that had a semi-permanent observation hive set up in one of their barns.  I found the queen on one of the frames and showed her to my family, and they thought it was so neat that I had found her.  Those were the first bees I'd ever really interacted with, and it made me want to get my own bees so bad! 
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline beesnweeds

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #24 on: November 08, 2022, 11:06:24 pm »
I have an Ulster observation hive.  What I do a day or 2 before a fair is split one of my 5 over 5 frame nucs.  You can also take a few frames out of a full hive but it's much easier to recombine nucs.  I place the split a few yards away with the queen.  The foragers return to the original location.  The next day you have a calm hive with mostly nurse bees and the queen in the observation hive with a frame feeder.  It makes it a lot easier for people to find the marked queen.  I have seen observation hives with too many foragers, and it can look a bit strange (for a beekeeper anyway).  The foragers will actually move together in a swirling pattern on the glass trying to find a way out. 
Everyone loves a worker.... until its laying.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #25 on: November 09, 2022, 03:39:36 am »
Great idea Beesnweeds. That?s a logical way to do it. Thank you. I will try that in just over a week if I can build a single frame observation hive in time. I?ll post a couple of pics of the build.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #26 on: November 09, 2022, 06:54:51 am »
The other nice thing about the style I have at the bottom of my Observation Hive page is that there is no where for the queen to hide.  I have a Tew hive from Brushy Mt (RIP) but there are many places she can hide and she does even though it's just around the edges.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #27 on: November 09, 2022, 07:35:32 am »
It always seems that queens can hide away in some remote corner of a brood box and make themselves invisible when ever you want to find them. They always seem to pop up on the centre of a frame if you are not looking for them.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #28 on: November 09, 2022, 03:30:35 pm »
Thought I?d better make a start on this observation hive as the markets are coming up in just over a week. I saw one online that was really simple so I decided to use it as a basis for the design. I?m thinking that I?ll make this initial hive so that it holds just one frame with all components screwed together so that I can pull it apart for cleaning or modification if required. I used an assembled frame to gauge my dimensions and clearances.

The first step was to cut a base and two sides to the dimensions required and then run groves on the faces to hold the acrylic sheeting. The acrylic was then trimmed to fit.



A lid, base , rails and support legs were then cut to size.



Now that all components are cut to size, screw holes will be drilled and the hive will be assembled. I?ll get onto that tomorrow as we have a nice day coming up so I might head into the bush and look for a bit of gold. I?ll post a photo when the hive is assembled.

Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #29 on: November 10, 2022, 04:52:40 pm »
We have been selling at farmers markets for many years. If your presentation is excellent then you will get the interested customers.
We do provide samples and use half a paper straw to dip the honey. One thing that reduces mess is to do the first one for the customer and show them how to wind up the string of honey that makes the mess.
Most of the markets i would not want a discussion piece like a display hive as it will take up too much time when you should be dealing with paying customers.
Tyre kickers are bad enough without giving them an excuse.
Quality and variety of honey is what will build your market business.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #30 on: November 10, 2022, 06:37:59 pm »
I can see your point Oldbeavo. I?m lucky that my wife is with me which sorts out that issue. The display will get a lot more people to stop, which I think is important. I like the idea of sampling honey. That is the number one way of getting people to buy. Once people try a nice honey, you end up with a customer for life.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #31 on: November 10, 2022, 11:59:37 pm »
Got the hive assembled. The top is held in place with wing nuts. Just pulled everything to pieces and gave it a rough sand. All exterior surfaces have been given a coat of Danish oil. Inside surfaces will be kept raw. One final coat of oil tomorrow and then then hive will be assembled. I have drilled holes in the sides for ventilation. Mesh will be stapled in place when the hive is ready for assembly.


Offline beesnweeds

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #32 on: November 11, 2022, 04:08:32 pm »
Looks great Les!! One alternative to polycarbonate or plexiglass if they become scratched up or fogged is laminated glass.  Like a car windshield its two layers of glass with vinyl in the middle.  Any glass shop can cut it to size.
Everyone loves a worker.... until its laying.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #33 on: November 11, 2022, 08:19:47 pm »
Good idea Beesnweeds. The cost could be interesting but you are right about the scratching. Will need to keep the rich girls with their diamond rings away from the bees?.

Offline yes2matt

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #34 on: November 12, 2022, 09:11:22 am »
I also use the mann lake one. And Im happy with it. Ive only kept bees in it for a little over a week though. I just move the frame from topside to down below every night, opened the door,and put a nuc lid on top. One thing was because the thing was going out in the afternoon I put wet sponges in for water. and if your closing it up after the sun comes up you loose a little field force.
Also have this one, and like it. I wish I could adjust the glass closer to the frame, the bees will go double deep on it (bees on the comb, bees on the glass) and makes it hard to see.  Best would be if I could adjust the glass out for frame installation and then back in toward the frame for observation.  I don't have time to mess with it though. What I do have time to mess with, and the thing is on my workbench, is to put a "piezo undersaddle" guitar pickup underneath the ears of the frames, run the wires out to a pre-amp and headphone amplifier, and let the kids listen in to the communication on the combs.  I also have a pluggable web-cam that I want to install on an arm to look at the observation frame and run that out to a larger screen.  I've got the parts for that, but what I really need is some anti-glare coating on the glass. Camera only shows reflections of everything else.

I don't know what it does for sales, but people really do like it.  If I was going to keep the colony installed for several weeks, I would remove the QX from under the observation frame so she could keep a viable colony going.

Online The15thMember

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #35 on: November 12, 2022, 02:56:09 pm »
What I do have time to mess with, and the thing is on my workbench, is to put a "piezo undersaddle" guitar pickup underneath the ears of the frames, run the wires out to a pre-amp and headphone amplifier, and let the kids listen in to the communication on the combs. 
Super cool!  That really gives people a different kind of window into the hive, especially since the bees are normally in darkness in a standard hive. 
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #36 on: November 12, 2022, 04:13:57 pm »
Matt that is a great idea.
Your same idea might be of interest to BeeScientist in relation to the TOPIC: Does anyone have any bee sound recordings?
« Last Edit: November 12, 2022, 04:28:07 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #37 on: November 12, 2022, 04:21:07 pm »
That is really taking things to another level. Excellent thinking.

Online Lesgold

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #38 on: November 12, 2022, 07:05:50 pm »
The project is finally finished. One more week until the markets. I will test some of the ideas mentioned and see how it works in a day or so. Will report back when I try it out.


Cheers

Les

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Single frame observation hive.
« Reply #39 on: November 12, 2022, 09:43:26 pm »
Nice job Les.

Phillip
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

 

anything