Observation hive

[pdmattox]

I was wondering if there was a wrong time to start a observation hive.

[leominsterbeeman]

that's going to depend on your location.   As long as the hive is strong enough to make it through lean times (no nectar or pollen) and has a large enough population, you should be OK.  Keep feeding them  (sugar water) at all times, unless the nectar flow is heavy.

I started mine in the spring with one frame of bees and brood and a queen.  In a month, they started drawing wax on the second frame.  

Mine lasted through a New England winter and then I move it to a hive with a weak colony.

Now I have one that is about 2 frames of bees, with a small- spotty brood area, (time for a new queen).

[Michael Bush]

You could start one now if you've got a nuc to take the bees from, or a hive to take drawn comb, brood and honey from and a queen to put in it.

[nepenthes]

You can keep bee's over winter In an Observation Hive? (like in the house or something like that)

how often would you have to change the feeder, How many things of Pollen would you need to buy?

This would be REALLy cool!

[Michael Bush]

>You can keep bee's over winter In an Observation Hive? (like in the house or something like that)

I do every winter.  But the hive is in the house.  The entrance is a tube that goes outside.  They are free flying all the time.

>how often would you have to change the feeder, How many things of Pollen would you need to buy?

I feed them now and then all winter but if they don't run out of stores I wouldn't need to.  I give them a couple of tables spoons of pollen during the whole winter.  They will gather their own whenever it's available.  You don't have to give them any pollen at all.

>This would be REALLy cool!

Beyond you're wildest imagination.

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

[nepenthes]

:x

Sadly My mom says NO! This will be a "when im older" thing.

thanks for that though!