Observation hive at Lake Merritt - team assemble!

[Cortney]

Hello fellow beeks!

I hope this email finds you well. I am establishing a team of beekeepers whom is interested in setting up an observation hive at Lake Merritt. I have spoken to the Junior Center of Art and Sciences director and they are very interested in getting a hive set up there. However, there was a previous observation hive set up at the rotary club across the way that isn’t in use right now. There’s lots of potential here!
A little about myself; I’m a mom, artist and educator. I’ve been beekeeping since 2018 and my favorite thing to manage as a beekeeper is to reconfigure the hive so the colony doesn’t swarm.
If you are interested in getting these beginning bits started or would be interested in managing the hive once gets going, let’s talk! Reply to this email by the end of the week. Include a little bit about yourself, times and days that would be best for you to meet up, wether you prefer communication and organizing by email/zoom or in person, and what you are most interested in doing with this project.

I’m looking forward to hearing back from fellow beekeepers whom are excited about community work!

Buzz buzz,
Cortney Daniel
email: mscor...@gmail.com

[Robin Chatham]

Hi, what an exciting project!

You may want to check in with the folks at Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association, who have had an observation hive at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience for many years.

A healthy bee colony needs to swarm to reproduce, it's their nature to survive as a species and spread around to increase nests. To stifle that urge is nearly impossible. It's definitely unnatural. The colony in the observation hive at the Lindsay Museum swarms regularly.  

Im handy with wood n tools and making repairs.  I've built several observation hives. Call me if you'd like my help. 

If you'd like a contact number for Peter or Larry at MDBA, let me know.

Robin Chatham

925-858-9760 

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[Jim Veitch]

Great stuff on the observation hive!

Just a contrary view on swarming: I think managing bees to deter swarming is an excellent skill to practice. I manage swarming by doing regular inspections in swarm season and not only using in-hive management such as providing appropriate empty comb but also using splits when I see signs of swarming. While not 100% successful, I end up with plenty of bees and only rarely do hives actually swarm..  As a bonus you can end up with a lot more honey per hive as well, though that does not apply to an observation hive. I encourage us urban beekeepers to think about the trouble for someone else should one of our swarms set up home inside the walls of a house --Jim

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[Mimi Edwards]

Cortney - I have 6 frame deep observation hive that I can donate. (It's like the hive we use at County Fair without the rolling lifted table.)  Let me know if you are interested in picking it up.    Mimi

[Robin Chatham]

Im intrigued by how people have different reasons for keeping bees and therefore different methods of "keeping" them.

Thanks Jim for your input on swarm suppressing and why you practice it. 

Your consideration for those who may be inconvenienced by a swarm moving into their dwelling is the same reason I 1. Collect swarms . 2. Educate those who don't yet know why bees swarm and are afraid of it. 3. Teach people about bees and swarms so they can take measures to bee proof their homes, feel comfortable and even fascinated by bees and their behaviors, to mention a few. 

If you'd like to see a couple videos of different swarm collections see me on YouTube @KeeperOfTheWildBees

Robin Chatham

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[Gerald Przybylski]

I think Phil built a fancy one-frame deep observation hive for the Rotary Nature Center. Maybe he can share his design. 
Here are some thoughts on the topic 
https://www.bushfarms.com/beesobservationhives.htm

I don't think the kind of observation hive used at the county fair works for an unattended 
installation like the one at the RNC. 
The queen  on the top frame is separated from the 5 frames under the Nuc cover; she needs access to all the frames, 
and visitors need to be able to find her. 

that's my 2¢