Info and/or articles

[Megaloptera]

Hello I'm Adam from Florida and I'm hoping to get an observation bee hive at a school. Knowing I will need to get our district's safety department on board, I was wondering if any of you have peer reviewed journal articles that I could use bits of info from about the safety of these hives and the benefits for students?

I'm thinking like an article stating that bees fly up upon exiting the hive....etc.

I need to pitch the idea to them through a proposal.

The district approval is my first hurdle before I try and find a master bee keeper to partner with. However, I may end up in this hobby before you know it. All the research I've done is absolutely fascinating.


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[BeeMaster2]

Welcome to BeeMaster.
Beekeepers have put entrances that go up to the roof. I have an observation hive and the entrance is about 3 feet from the ground. They don?t usually go straight up.
Jim

[Megaloptera]

Hey thanks for your reply. I will look into a design with an exit higher off the ground. That way the bees will be exiting the building above the students heads already. We also thought to add a six foot high fence excluding the children from entering the initial flight path as added precaution.

I guess I'm looking more for advice which would safe guard students so the district has little to no reason to turn this proposal down.

Any other thoughts would be helpful.


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[sc-bee]

This organization may be able to help and forward information:

http://thebeecause.org/

[BeeMaster2]

Just use a top entrance instead of a bottom entrance and the bees will bee up high. I built mine as a lazy Susan stile. Here are a couple of pictures:

[Megaloptera]

Thanks for the info. I have seen the bee cause site and will probably pull a lot of good info from it.

Jim thanks for the photos. That looks great! I think a top entrance will be key to our specific situation.

It's funny that the district is completely fine with a "butterfly garden" for the kids to walk through, containing multiple varieties of stinging pollinators yet I need special permission for a contained hive in a classroom.


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[BeeMaster2]

That is because a lawyer can blame the school for a sting from a bee from the observation hive but not one from the Mother Nature.
Jim

[beepro]

Isn't a temper resistant glass better than the ordinary glass?   Active kids can accidentally broke the
glass and you will have angry bees all over them.   Safety is my number one concern in the class room.

[BeeMaster2]

I would use plexiglass for a classroom. I built a portable observation hive to use in classrooms and that is what I used. It is not as easy to keep clean but much safer.
Jim

[BeeMaster2]

Here are pictures of the classroom observation hive.

[Megaloptera]

Yes I believe I'm going with plexiglass for the viewing windows. Our proposal is at risk management and we are awaiting there verdict. We also quoted area nature centers that have observation hives stating that they have had no incidents, one for 10 years another for 19. Hoping to build our case.

I also found my dream observation hive I believe I can build but I won't post my hive related questions yet since I would simply get my hopes up.


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[BeeMaster2]

Can you share a picture of the hive you have selected?
Jim

[Megaloptera]

Well, ok twist my arm. Either way whether we get bees at work or not. I'm stung by them. I even look at the world differently. Now "weeds" along the interstate are sources of sustainable. I still have flowers blooming at home and has somebody else's bees on them. I may end up with a hive or to at home in the future. I can only give the link to the  hive photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30915596@N00/sets/72157633203994477/

Enjoy


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[BeeMaster2]

That hive looks amazing. It would bee great in a classroom setting where the kids can watch it grow later by layer and then grow vertically. You would have a lot of new beekeepers or future beekeepers by the end of the year. Only one problem, Florida requires that all hive frames are able to beee inspected.
I recommend you call our inspector, Steven Cutts, and see if he would allow it for training purposes.
He may allow it.
PM me if you need his number.
Jim

[Megaloptera]

Yes the inspections were my main concerns. I'll get his number from you once we get approval. If this dream hive doesn't work out, I'll be going with the typical 3 frame tall picture window variety.


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[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm

[Megaloptera]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm

Thanks for your website, believe me I've read much of it already!


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[Michael Bush]

You are welcome.