Just wanted you all to know i appreciate all the info. this is great, because i have a lot to learn. Do you all know how far i can put my observation hive from the wall and can bees crawl up pvc pipe. the bees will have to crawl up the pipe 3 feet, then crawl another 10 feet to the outside. once they reach the outdoors, will they be able to find their way back ?
The bees will find their way. I've seen feral hives in houses where the entrance was at one end of the house at the foundation and the actual hive was near the other end and higher in the wall. They probably had to travel 20 feet or more through cracks and knot holes.
Cool. I guess its a go. This way I can beekeep all winter. Thnx
It takes them a while to find their way in such a long pipe. I haven't tried this, but some say a string running down the pipe helps them find their way and gives them a bit of a ladder.
I usually try to keep the tube as short as I can, but that's still usually three feet or more.
I removed a hive last yr for an older gentleman who caulked the main entrance to the hive. The bees would just find other entrances and he would caulk some more. When I showed up the bees were entering the house on the front left corner, which was twenty feet from where the hive was located. I have seen other examples of this. Bees are resourceful and will do what they need to to survive. Their sense of smell and memory are terrific. Your set up will work fine, as Brian has mentioned.
thnx for the info. i cant wait to get it going. have a good evening.