Populating an Observation Hive

ccwonka · March 17, 2009, 09:05:27 AM

Hey all, I will be completing my observation hive in the next day or so, and I am wondering what the best way to populate it is going to be . . . I would think a package would be far to large. I would think that a swarm would not bait to it well because of the size.

Should I just take a frame w/brood & honey out of a strong hive, with bees (NO queen, obviously) and seal them in for a couple days and let them deal with a queen themselves?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!
CC

riverrat · March 17, 2009, 09:14:07 AM

If you got drones flying I would put a frame of caped brood and a frame of eggs in the hive along with some nurse bees and watch them make there own queen.

HAB · March 17, 2009, 12:38:43 PM

My Wife recieved an observation hive from her Wonderful & Handsome Husband (Hee, Hee :)) for her Birthday Jan 30th. We installed two frames of new and capped brood, two frames of honey and pollen, and four frames with drawn comb. Then added a generous portion of mixed worker and nurse bees. They failed to make a Queen Cell so we then replaced one of the drawn frames with a frame containing three Queen cells. On the 10th of March we found the new Queen laying away. Looks like she is gonna Bee a keeper. :) Here are pics of the Hive and Queen laying.

Kathyp · March 17, 2009, 01:11:52 PM

that is what i did also. just make sure you get a good frame of eggs in there. mine made a bunch of queen cells and it was fun to watch. pretty exciting to finally find a queen and watch her start laying.

SlickMick · March 18, 2009, 03:24:11 AM

This may be a silly question but why not populate with a nuc with its attendant queen?

buzzbee · March 18, 2009, 08:03:39 AM

My ob hive is 3 deeps and a medium. I put the frames in a nuc box,then dumped the bees in. After giving the bees time to crawl up on frames,we put the frames in the ob hive along with the queen cage. the one frame was a drawn comb so I was able to trim out a little wax and recess the cage into the frame a little.
http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l65/kwrabbit/Observatioin%20Hive/
It may not be the best way but it worked out well.Most of the stragglers readily went into the observation hive once the queen was in.

ccwonka · March 18, 2009, 08:53:44 AM

well, the observation hive is only two deeps and one medium, a nuc won't even fit!!!

Scadsobees · March 18, 2009, 09:26:06 AM

I agree, I did that too... a frame of eggs with all of the attached bees, plus a lot of loose mixed bees brushed in.
They *should* make their own queen, it may be runty but she only has to lay 3 frames up.

If you have a queen or queen cell, that is a little boost.

Then you can watch the slow process of building up...

Rick