I would like to build an observation hive but i have some questions that are not construction related but more operational related.....
is it best to stock one in the spring?
can i use starter strips?
can they raise their own queen?
how critical to the success of the hive is the number of frames it can hold? is 3 much better than 2?
thats good for starters.
are ob hives just for viewing or do people keep bees in the hive all year long --the hives just seem to small for a quickly growing bee family-- hhhmmmmm deep thoughts
>can i use starter strips?
Yes.
>can they raise their own queen?
Yes, but the population of an observation hive tends to go up and down a lot and raising a queen will cause it to go down as the new queen won't be laying for 25 days or so.
>how critical to the success of the hive is the number of frames it can hold?
Pretty critical if you want it to be self sustaining and if you want it to get through the winter.
> is 3 much better than 2?
I think 3 deeps or four mediums is the right size. Smaller is more difficult to maintain. Larger is too hard to carry outside to work.
Here is what I think:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm
yes...i read your website about it....one of the best sources (if not the best) of bee stuff on the net. i think i'll try to make a 3 deep one. i want to be able to take it to the farmers market with me next year and i want it to be self sustaining. i'll use deeps because thats what my other hives are.
Another nice observation hive for a farmers market that is self sustaining:
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=U501
It also doesn't tip over so easily.