Our new observation hives are now tested and working well, providing both great observation opportunities, and a good home for stingless bees (of both carbonaria and hockingsi). We have two variants - vertical and flat. 

*NEW* - Flat Observation hive: Get a birds eye view of your native stingless bee colony. The restricted height and reduced volume oblige the bees to build their structures right up against the walls. The FOH is made of two parts: outer box cover and inner box. The top of the inner box is made of 3 mm clear acrylic. These design features provide great opportunities for observation of nest structures and bee behaviour. All other components are made of plywood, 25 mm thick for excellent insulation. Hive measures 45 mm deep internally. Volume: 5.2 L.

Vertical Observation hive: The two parallel clear acrylic side walls give you a great view of all parts of the colony, including brood, food pots and the bee behaviour. The wooden cover provides darkness and protection while not observing. The space between the walls is only 40 mm wide. Volume: 5 L. External dimensions: c. 500 x 400 x 90 mm.

We are currently selling only empty hives, it’s your job to stock it with a colony of bees (or if you have a full hive yourself and are wanting help duplicating your colony into an observation hive, you can hire us to assist you. See our services page).

These hives are not suitable to split from/with, or extract honey from. Only trialled in Brisbane, QLD - not suitable for NSW at this stage. It is possible to stock solely via eduction from your full hive, but we have had best success transferring brood and food stores but then leaving connected temporarily via eduction to bolster the colony. More info on these processes in The Australian Native Bee Book.