A NEW Bee Observation Hive Design based on Ancient Principals by Ivry B., Round 180 deg. view.

[@FrederickDunn]

UPDATE VIDEO: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foaQeZJ5eZKmes0si=AlU3QXp0AFHT0X-O

[@ivryb]

Thank you so much for all your support! We appreciate it!

[@FrederickDunn]

It's a pleasure, and I hope your campaign goes well! :) Thank you for bringing us this very interesting hive variation. :)

[@NKYHoneyBees]

*Thanks, Fred. Great video. I see this hive as a garden hive. Kind of like flow hive in my opinion. I can also see this as a show piece for education and showing your friends the bees in the yard since you can see a huge portion of the interior.*

[@FrederickDunn]

I agree, it's a showpiece more than a working utility hive. I also agree, that Flow-Hives are showpieces and can look like garden art/furniture when finished out nicely. Both have their place :)

[@Jeff_and_Jenny_M]

Fred, I love all your videos and can’t agree enough about sitting, being quiet and watching or listening to the bees do their business. I’m continually amazed by how they know what to do, every bee has a job, and they are all working together. I’m interested in this hive and might support their effort. Thanks much! - Jeff

[@dixsigns1717]

Oh my gosh, very beautiful, Fred! Well done. You had me laughing so hard talking about patience. Even though I can not have bees here due to a lack of forage for them, I should probably get a kit to learn patience, as I possess very little. Very nice job and explanation. I had the pleasure of watching Jake at White House on The Hill put one of these hives together earlier this year.

[@55418und]

Very uniquely designed hive. I like it.

[@FrederickDunn]

I agree, there is nothing else like it at the moment :)

[@_Trojo]

I just submitted a question about the IVRY-B! Haha!! Thanks for the quick delivery!

[@bradgoliphant]

Very interesting hive Frederick. Thx for sharing it

[@FrederickDunn]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@highlandhoneybee]

An interesting concept. The swarm certainly seems to like the new real estate. I enjoyed the tutorial and will be checking out Ivry-B. Cheers.

[@saintjohncoleman8602]

I was REALLY interested in their hive! Thanks for the review!

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome, thanks for watching :)

[@JK-dj1zj]

I saw this on another video. Quite interesting hive. Not sure how long it will last in the weather, especially since here in the states. It's dry in the middle east. However the clay hive was used due to the clay being cool on the inside and warm on the outside during the hot weather. Same concept in homes in Arizona, New Mexico, California, parts of Colorado and Utah. While living in Arizona and New Mexico, I saw how the homes were built from the bottom up and it made alot of sense why they built them that way. Of course you go to Chaco Canyon, and Canyon De Che and you can see the cliff dwellings how they were built or even the pueblos. I have to say very genius ways using clay.

[@FrederickDunn]

Clay was a great resource in the absence of timber :) Thanks for sharing!

[@Jeff_and_Jenny_M]

Fred, I've watched this video a couple of times and I appreciate your "patience to figure things out" advice. Thanks for being calm and measured and setting an example for those of us aspiring to be better beekeepers!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much :) I really appreciate it.

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Very interesting design. Thanks for sharing the buildup of this hive. Keep the Spar varnish finish up. Looking forward to the Winnipesaukee Beekeepers meeting with you next week! Have a great weekend. Oh, and tomorrow is Fred-day, Yeah!

[@almostagardener4549]

Looks like a very interesting learning tool.

[@michaelshelnutt3534]

Nicely done, as usual Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks, Michael :)

[@conversatador]

It’s so beautiful!!!

[@FoxFarms2020]

Just order mine, Thanks, Fred!!

[@FrederickDunn]

I hope you enjoy it!

[@DutchCreekRanch1]

Thanks for this. It’s really nice to see somebody. Try something new and find the little glitches in assembly before someone else gets into it. I appreciate the time you put into doing these videos. Interesting concept. Have a great day.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you very much :)

[@robertmalis4493]

What is an interesting concept for a beehive Fred and just a great tutorial you did putting it together

[@spider2914]

Nice job Fred!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you.

[@BrownAndDaughters]

מאוד יפה. כל הכבוד, פרד! Is an American beekeeper living in Israel, its funny to see this because I run all Langstroth hives 😂

[@beeamazzzinghives]

Fred, I saw your interview at the conference. Interesting design. One question: How are the bee's working the comb on each side, offset like that, if it was solid to start? Good video!

[@Darren_Nicola]

@@beeamazzzinghives might be because the foundation sheet wasn’t centre of the circular frame , it was stuck on the side , where in traditional frames it is centred so you get equal comb built either side ,

[@amysinterests2608]

I love it! I'd love to have something like that.

[@BugFarmerBees]

As always, you bring unique and interesting items for us to consider. I love the hive and am interested to see how the bees manage the space over time. It will also provide a unique look at a winter cluster if you are inclined to look inside when it's cold outside. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

[@FrederickDunn]

I was definitely curious when I noticed them at the Conference. It's just plain unique. Who doesn't want a little art on their porch? Great to hear from you! :)

[@melvinyoder1954]

Thank you for the video. I saw them at the conference and thought it was quite interesting.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome, and yes that's where I met them also. Interesting people :)

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Took a bit of work. Thanks for the effort Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

It's involved for sure :)

[@amandaliberty08]

I want this just to build. It is a real nice looking hive. and the peek top would be ideal for someone like me who likes watching the bees do their stuff.

[@FrederickDunn]

It's a conversation piece for sure.

[@enricotoesca3941]

Very thanks Mr . Frederick 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@CCCRApiary]

I'm in. great video. THank you

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you.

[@thegr8stm8]

Truly a Work of Art, Fred… I love working with wood… especially bringing out the grain… Looking forward to progress videos… Cheers, Johno

[@FrederickDunn]

It definitely can be a showpiece, and I'm sure we'll see many variations of finishing them. :)

[@christopherw4527]

I can't imagine putting together 70 to 100 of these every spring.

[@FrederickDunn]

You don't pack them down the way you do supered hives. We'll see what spring brings. :)

[@TrickyTrev01]

Very interesting Fred, always fascinating to see different types of hives. Very good for educational purposes, to simply sit and watch your beautiful bees. Thanks for sharing 🇦🇺👍🐝🍯

[@FrederickDunn]

Glad you enjoyed it, always nice to see your comments!

[@MountainMud]

Looking forward to getting ours! We're about 2.5 hours south east of you, so I'll be watching to see how yours over winters.

[@Hill_Walker]

Looks like it'd be a very light hive when full. Could make a great mobile observation hive.

[@FrederickDunn]

You are supposed to be able to take it around for presentations, but it's actually quite heavy and I have no plans to do that.

[@cbbees1468]

​@@FrederickDunnWhoa, just got to watch this video, this was awesome!

[@mjgbabydragonlet]

If I were not allergic to bee venom, I would buy this hive. It looks fascinating. Might need to see if my little beekeeper and his Dad are interested. Definitely sending the link to this video to the Dad.

[@628DirtRooster]

Challenge accepted! You said “it’s kind of foolproof”. I’ve got someone in mind to send one to and see how it goes. 😂

[@628DirtRooster]

It’s a beautiful hive. I’m curious how it’s going to weather.

[@FrederickDunn]

Ohhh... (';')( ';')... that may be interesting! ;)

[@FrederickDunn]

And yes, we'll take it through all four seasons and see what happens. Not sure how I'm going to pull a frame with them really glueing it up to the interior viewing surface. Thanks for stopping by, Randy :)

[@Shewwler]

Very interesting as always. I look forward to more reports on this hive.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks, I'll share as I go.

[@wildandfreehoneybees]

Thanks Fred! Great video! I’m going to donate. This would be a great educational tool for my bee club at school as well as my own children at home. Can’t wait to assemble it with them and then populate it with a swarm! 🐝❤️

[@FrederickDunn]

It definitely makes an impression! I hope it all goes well for you :)

[@sonofthunder.]

i had great time in israel,jordon,even egypt,didnt see bees,but the ancient craft is facinating,clay pots ,skeps,its amazing how adaptable bees were designed, in their dna from 1st bee,and their creator also has much to say about Israelites,all linked together,the land of milk and HONEY

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, it's a fascinating history. :)

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Reminds me of a top bar hive. Thanks Fred!

[@FrederickDunn]

Only without the top-bars and full circles instead :) Thanks, Rodney!

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

@@FrederickDunn It’s still cool!

[@HoskinsHoneyBees]

Very interesting hive, Great video

[@keithspillman]

What a great little project!! Part of the lure of beekeeping for me is getting to build stuff!! I'll definitely be looking into this. Thanks Fred!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Funny that you say that, Keith. I do enjoy a project and seeing it finished. :)

[@saf729]

Thanks for an interesting video.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome, thanks for watching.

[@curiouscoy492]

As 8 Spruce (by architect Gehry) is to NYC, the Ivry B hive is to observation beehives: innovative and beautiful.

[@brianbeck32]

Looking forward to an update on this hive

[@FrederickDunn]

It's full from front to back, not going to be easy to open it other than to look through the glazing.

[@timfeckley1689]

I don’t see them surviving the winter,maybe a gadget for warmer climates definitely a cool design

[@FrederickDunn]

With all of the insulation, what makes you think they wouldn't handle winter? We'll see this winter, but it's more insulated than most of my current hives.

[@timfeckley1689]

@@FrederickDunn oh I skipped ahead to the 24 minute mark and commented on that part I guess I need to watch the whole thing👍

[@timfeckley1689]

So I went and watched the whole thing it is a cool gadget but I still believe it will have a tough time in the winter in an unprotected area even on a covered porch unless you use some sort of insulation over the top the bees will be pushed down to the bottom away from their honey stores,but inside a heated area would make a cool conversation piece

[@mike-md]

Very interesting Fred. Since it's close to that time of year here in TN, If I was to treat this hive with OAV, I guess I would introduce the it at the back entrance and could see it spread throughout the hive. Cool!

[@FrederickDunn]

True, you'd be able to watch it move around and see the bees react. I've done that with other obseration hives and it's interesting.

[@annwithaplan9766]

Interesting! Looking forward to it's progress and how you get the honey out. Thanks.

[@jamesc1283]

I'm also curious how you'd do normal maintenance things, like checking for verroa mites, as the bottom is enclosed and seemingly not as accessible as a Langstroth. Very cool looking hive though!

[@tonyfisher7374]

Love it

[@brendawydeven2934]

I knew you would get one of those. You were admiring it at hive life.I saw video you made. Now you need longer one :) How lucky to get a swarm for it😊

[@FrederickDunn]

I do like novel items like this. Yes, It was a stroke of luck when a swarm presented itself in time for me to get this one going. I enjoyed visiting with the inventors, they are all very hopeful. I hope it finds its place among beekeepers.

[@brendawydeven2934]

@@FrederickDunn I liked them when you showed them on hive life. I have grandkids who would love to watch bees work in hive. I'm going to donate:)

[@lindasuerussell4398]

Awesome, I love it.

[@ChristieAnnMitchell]

Thank you! Super interesting! I saw this hive advertised a few weeks ago and wondered what the price will be. I'm looking forward to updates. 😊 It would be nice if they supplied a replacement inner cover to swap out if it needs to be cleaned.

[@FrederickDunn]

HI Christie, I'm with you on the replacement liners. I couldn't find them. I think their fundraiser site just crashed. They are working on it. They are pretty expensive in the fundraiser but they are offering early discounts which put them in the price range of an Apimaye hive.

[@tommychew6544]

I was interested when you said it was based on an old world based design. I love history, this will be an interesting project to see thru as time progresses. You said the original design was made with unfired clay, I challenge a potter to make a fired glazed version of this same form. I'm not even sure of the R-value of pottery at different thicknesses', I think the heat the bees put off inside would be the determining factor really. 20 Years ago, I knew a potter with her own Kiln and if I would have helped with the forms, I bet I could have talked her into doing the experiment with me. It wasn't about mass production back then, it was more like family groups, and you did what you could for yours and bartered the excess if you had any for other things. Don't forget history, it tends to come back around from time to time to time, squared by who knows what number.

[@FrederickDunn]

Most kilns can't handle large objects, but I'm sure someone would fire individual pieces that would be assembled after. I think the originals were made of clay as it was a primary material along with brick and stone work. Inspiration can come from anything :)

[@tina_mg]

It’s going to be so interesting to see how they manage this space throughout the year. It seems to me they’d be more likely to swarm in this type of hive due to lack of space. But, I also don’t have any sort of experience with observations hives. Love your videos - learn so much from them.

[@FrederickDunn]

We'll see, they have almost filled it now, with two frames left to draw out.

[@wallingtonfilming]

You are a living legend mate we all love your videos…🕯🐝🍯

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much, what a great compliment :)

[@trishwestberg6982]

Very interesting, thanks for the video

[@FrederickDunn]

Glad you enjoyed it, and you're welcome :)

[@ricklaudermilk9400]

Fred that’s a great information. I have been wanting an observation hive. I think this will be a great option. Looking forward to your updates.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks :)

[@JCDWelder2060]

I think that is very cool . Fir sure gonna get one of these just to watch them work . Great presentation. Thanks for sharing.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for watching!

[@kareno8634]

I Love it! *Thank You!* Being in Florida and Not trusting anything i do, ... I wish i could build. I Find all you've done Very Interesting & Intriguing, tho, teaching myself has proven a disaster. Not even able to trust others ... all falls apart. _what to do_ how to start? not to be a downer, maybe just a bad day. ALL Looks Beautiful there, Wild Bees here, welcome to stay without me interfering.

[@stgermain1074]

That might be a good option for an apartment dweller who wants a balcony beehive.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hmmm... you may be right!

[@Kaalokalawaia]

Ooh exciting. I saw these earlier on another bee channel and I wondered if you ever worked with them. They look a lot like those wooden roller coaster puzzles that they sell on Amazon. I figure these work fairly similarly to how Japanese bee farmers use hollowed-out tree trunks for wild beekeeping. Not sure if you have seen any information on those natural hives. I'm excited to see how this one works out for you.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks, I'll keep you posted.

[@Peter-od7op]

Fred iam all in want one. Looks like art to me.

[@FrederickDunn]

It's certainly distinctive, it's out there getting slammed by a storm at the moment :) I'm glad I put it on the porch.

[@Peter-od7op]

@@FrederickDunn iam getting one signed up

[@CastleHives]

I am debating on the campaign they have going now. Definitely would make for a conversation piece.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi Brian! Yes, I consider it a porch conversation piece as well as a curiosity that may serve the resident bees well. :) I wish I'd had more time, I would have put it inside the building with a clear entrance chanel to the outside. They are really working it!

[@mlfarm]

It'll be interesting to see how the Baltic Birch / Luan plywood holds up to propolis and being pried apart to inspect. Thanks for sharing your experiments. Looking forward to seeing how it holds up to the Erie winter.👍

[@FrederickDunn]

I think, given the surface dryness that the bees will propolize most of it. I'm not personally looking forward to pulling any frames as they are building pretty strong right against the clear panel.

[@cobberpete1]

How fascinating. I would love one. I will have to enquire if they ship to Australia. I take it that you would not harvest from this hive due to the complexity of the frame shape etc. Love the letter box gap in the railings for access. 🥰🐝.

[@FrederickDunn]

I think harvesting honey with this hive is going to be interesting, getting the window clear of the comb will be the first challenge. :) We'll see.

[@walterhiegel3020]

Fred...very interesting hive. So do you plan on leaving the top on for the most part and do you plan on letting this hive swarm just like your other observation hive(s)? Is that entrance 3/8"", 1/2"", can a shrew get in? What about the skunks? will the bees be able to clean out the bottom? I wished you had installed the inside temp so that one could tell ow hot it is getting when you have the cover off and are viewing the bees with others. Are you gonna do tests on the glue that they sent? Could you put 2 of these 2 together and a queen excluder between them and make it an Ivy-horizontal hive with brood one side and honey on the other? How would you extract honey from these frames? I could go on but I will resist the temptation!

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, I plan to leave it covered other than when we check in on them in the late afternoon or early mornings. The entrance reducers are interchangeable and I'll be modifying one to block any mice or "shrews" from gaining entry == Well out of reach for skunks. Regarding that temp probe I didn't want the bees just glueing it to the bottom, and don't think there's much value in knowing the interior temp vs exterior temp, I can still put a probe in if I want to know more later on. I think most of the honey in this one will be for the bees this year, but in spring I'd have to pull remaining honey to prevent it from becoming bound when the flow hits. I will allow them to swarm otherwise. I don't have other hives to exchange frames with, so it puts me in the same position I am with the Layens Hives.

[@framcesmoore]

This is a cool looking hive hope it works out good for u Thanks for sharing this. I know u will keep us up dated on how good it works.

[@FrederickDunn]

I will share the results for sure! :) Thanks, Frances!

[@mbgal7758]

This is a really interesting idea for a hive. 34 colonies eh? I remember when I first started watching you, 10 colonies was your max. Bees are like chips, you can’t have just one or ten 😂

[@FrederickDunn]

It's true, I have absolutely failed to keep my colony numbers down :)

[@Calypso4me]

Such an interesting & unique hive Fred, I saw when you interviewed them.... I'm so happy you shared this process with us. Questions.... Why didn't you use Eco Wood on this hive and are there any pest management systems?

[@FrederickDunn]

Eco-wood doesn't play well with laminated wood. So, I went with something else in this case. Regarding pest management, you could do an OAV by drilling a 1/4" hole into one of the solid entrance reducers as they are interchangeable.

[@Calypso4me]

@@FrederickDunn Ahhhhhh good to know that feedback about the Eco Wood & that makes sense with the OAV. Thanks Fred!

[@Jeff_and_Jenny_M]

Hi Fred - any update on how this hive is doing going into late Fall? I'm intrigued by it and interested to hear more about your experience. Cheers! - Jeff (Cincinnati, Oh)

[@FrederickDunn]

I need to make an update video soon, it's full of bees from end to end. Now, How I'd open that in order to access the bees? That's going to be a small adventure in itself as they have run comb against all interior surfaces.

[@kennith.]

Thanks for sharing, will be interesting come harvest time. I assume will be crush and strain?

[@Figbudz]

First!?Thanks for the great educational videos! ❤

[@_Trojo]

Maybe break the caps and let it drain? So he can give built out comb back to the bees?

[@FrederickDunn]

@@_Trojo That's what they recommend, uncap, invert and drain the frame and then put them back in the hive.

[@dwren4554]

Been watching the hive web site for a while and really like the thought put into the puzzle hive 😊 Would love to have one but expect the cost and shipping are way outside my low rent neighborhood.

[@johnmenocal1633]

Did you anchor the fascinating hive to your deck in any way?? Curious if any concern for a skunk type critter getting curious and try to tip it over!!! Thank you, as always!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Hi John, it's well elevated, and firmly placed on a stand that is well out of skunk range. The deck of the building is too high off the ground for skunks as well. Great question though :)

[@walkinginwatercolourswithmicah]

Oh wow....would love to have one of these! What exactly do you mean by the cells being "open" at both sides? Can you show us in a photo Fred???? Or, sorry if I need to watch again , maybe I missed it .

[@FrederickDunn]

The bees bumped in the wax foundation and buit cells on both sides with a center in the comb, but on one side of the wooden frames, if you look at the attachments on the clear window they are actually centering their comb between frames, but attaching to one side of each frame. When I open the hive and pull some frames, I'll explain that better.

[@walkinginwatercolourswithmicah]

@@FrederickDunn Aha, now I understand. And that is very odd they did that. The comb is really beautiful though. Looking forward to when you open and pull some frames...thnx Fred!

[@shawnsullivan7116]

Fred, great assembly job and an interesting design but if they build burr comb to the lid how do you lift it off without pulling the frames with it, or get in there to cut out the honey and save the brood comb when they are stuck to the lid? not to take anything away there effort but it looks more like a novelty than a practical working hive, but with your testing i am sure we will find out. thanx for taking the time to help us learn more about beekeeping

[@FrederickDunn]

I have all of those shared concerns. We'll see how it goes. You are right, they are building right to the viewing window, but... I think that thin lining may be key in being able to remove the cover, then carefully peel the thinner piece back... we'll see :)

[@Darren_Nicola]

Well this is kinda cool , wonder if you could make one out of a whiskey barrel, well done for putting it together though as one would have sprung back and slapped me round the face lol. Be interesting to follow the progress , 😀🇬🇧

[@FrederickDunn]

Maybe they make small barrels? I'm sure you could experiment with any horizontal cavity you find around. I don't see why not?

[@fuzzynuggetsbees]

Very cool!! I’d like to have one in the house as an observation hive and run a pipe to the outside. Do you think it’s transportable enough to reasonably carry outside to inspect?

[@FrederickDunn]

At the beginning it's portable, but even with it half full, that's a two-person carry. But, it will fit through most entry doors.

[@fuzzynuggetsbees]

Great to know- thanks! I hope all goes well with them. They look happy in there.

[@stevenaamos]

Thank you for the video and the detail, great job! I wonder if the whole thing were wax dipped if it would be a solution to the propolis. I would have expected more defensiveness when you pulled off the cover. I've been kicking around either a Long Lang or a flow hive, but this might be more interesting. Hopefully they can be in Louisville.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hmmm, wax dipping may be an issue with something that has so many enclosed spaces, and you couldn't do that and then glue the pieces together. I'm sure we'll see some interesting finishes.

[@stevenaamos]

I was thinking about dipping it prior to adding the clear covers and insulation, but you are right about the glue not sticking...

[@davidsoloninka7742]

Do u have an update video on the Ivry hive? Thx

[@FrederickDunn]

This is current, the ending sequences were captured July 24th.

[@hutch84jr]

Is this hive available to purchase in the US? I could not find it online.

[@FrederickDunn]

It was as crowd fund campaign and the link is in the description.

[@craigo4dds]

Any thoughts on how you would do a mite check and treat for mites?

[@FrederickDunn]

Mite checks will be challenging, if they need treatment, I can do an OAV through one of the entrances by cutting a 1/4" hole in one of them. They provide several entrance pieces.

[@georgegarcia5052]

Thanks for reviewing the hive! What a lovely design but that the bees are attaching the frames to the top doesn’t look promising… I don’t envy you trying to lift off the clear cover … but if anyone can it’s you! 😅. Regarding the heat gun … can it be used to melt bee wise shavings onto a plastic frame?

[@FrederickDunn]

You could try it out? I've never used a heat gun for that purpose.

[@georgegarcia5052]

@@FrederickDunn I ended up just putting was clipping on a frame that sat out in the sun (for environmental reasons it didn’t make sense to buy a heat gun)… the clipping then role up as if doh, and then I smear it onto the frame … incredibly slow and efficient (one per day)… but for 6 or 7 frames it’s completely doable. Thanks.

[@CentralCoastBeeMan]

What was the overall assembly time including the glue drying time?

[@FrederickDunn]

I spent two days with all of the glue curing steps. Then another two days putting layers of finish on.

[@sinisterhipp0]

So my bee can glue down frames strong enough for me to break them. I’m not convinced this will have much durability.

[@FrederickDunn]

We'll see how it goes :)

[@kimslininger8753]

How did it winter? Was it outside?

[@FrederickDunn]

It wintered as well as my best performing hives. Yes, it's outside. However, it's far more challenging to work the frames than other standardized hive configurations. But it's winter-ready for sure.

[@_Trojo]

I donated to the IVRY-B Indiegogo campaign. Their website asks for an email confirming the donation for the discount when they’re sold, but they don’t list an email address, or I couldn’t find it if it’s available.

[@FrederickDunn]

Hmmm let me look for an email... [e-mail]

[@alexn8795]

I can't find the campaign on indiegogo.

[@FrederickDunn]

Did you follow the link in the video description? I think their system momentarily crashed or something.

[@alexn8795]

@@FrederickDunn Yes they are having ongoing technical difficulties with Indiegogo. Hopefully it launches tomorrow.

[@megannkids]

What a fantastic video. I really want one and even sent $29 via indegogo but after much thought as a first time beekeeper and i live in northern Utah, I have decided not to buy one yet. I think when i do ill have to buy the add on box since our winters can be long and cold. Fred do you think i made a wise decision? I value your opinion.

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, I think it's a good idea to wait and see when something is this new. I'll be updating my observations throughout the year.

[@redfish440]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍

[@mrw2403]

i like the idea of this however, if you need to expand the hive you have to buy another one of these. and the question of durability of extracting honey with an extractor which they said you can do. i question that.

[@FrederickDunn]

It's definitely not a production hive. Durability is yet to be seen. If you wanted to extract honey, you can uncap the comb and put it in one of the radial basket style extractors on alower rpm. Also, these activities and examples will be shared over the next year.

[@mrw2403]

@@FrederickDunn thanks Fred! Definitely will be interesting to see the longevity of this hive.

[@ridingvenus]

Nice for observation and related things …but looks difficult to harvest anything but bees

[@tvideo1189]

That just seems like a solution looking for a problem. And seeing "the first 300" get a hundred and fifty bucks OFF, I can only guess that the price must be astronomical. Looks like an expensive novelty, but maybe that's the purpose.

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm not sure it's a solution to any problem. It's really presented as a novelty and another way to observe bees in another hive configuration. I'm sure they are likely to be expensive, and the beauty of that is for those wanting utility only this won't appeal to them at all. I personally enjoy the variation in design. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@Jay-qv8hq]

That thing is so cool . That lam ply wood is not the best material for outdoors. I would marine varnish (dutch boy) .I'm going to make 1 out of a log . Thanks for the video now I have a nice winter project

[@FrederickDunn]

Lots of options for finishing it. I chose the finish I did becuase it is what they used on the Blue Nose Schooner I visited. Held up very well topside on that vessel. So I felt it might be good enough for my hive :)

[@Jay-qv8hq]

@@FrederickDunn by all means that is more than good... I wasn't trying to be too critical . Sorry if it came out that way . I love everything you do on your channel it's my favorite place to get info.... Ps got my first hive in spring . With all the videos from u it's been an absolute success.thank you

[@onefastfreddy]

Any idea how they are doing now? I see their Indiegogo campaign has ended and they are more than fully funded 490% of their goal. What are your thoughts on this hive now that you have some hands on experience? Are you using it with your bees?

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, they are mid-winter, and the swarm I Installed has filled all of the frames from front to back. Spring will tell the full story. Regarding the Ivry B guys, they are shipping their fundraiser perks now. I don't know a lot about how much the war has impacted them as they are very near to the Gaza strip. Some of them are in uniform. That's all I know.

[@onefastfreddy]

Thanks, I'll look forward to learning how they are doing in the Spring. I haven't heard you mention any new specifics of your long term experience with the Flow Hive. Maybe you could devote one of your upcoming videos to all the various hives and hive configurations you have used and tested and their pros and cons from a backyard beekeeper perspective? Thanks as always!@@FrederickDunn

[@FrederickDunn]

@@onefastfreddy You're going to get a lot on those in coming weeks as that's my Grandson's first pick for his first hive assembly. Of all the hive designs, that's what he wanted for Christmas. (';')...

[@wadebarnes6720]

I seen someone put one together online I really didn't follow him through the whole bee season

[@FrederickDunn]

I don't know if anyone has been through an entire year with one here in the U.S.. They have had them for several years in Israel.

[@wadebarnes6720]

@@FrederickDunn it's been a while back but he had all kind of different beehive if I see the channel again I'll leave it on my next message

[@dancesmith8742]

I wonder how this is going.. is anything normal in Israel right now? I tried contacting them but haven't heard anything.

[@FrederickDunn]

This hive is going into winter with a full load of honey and well populated. The people at Ivry-B are on hold, all of their younger employees are now in uniform for reasons we already know about. Their kabutz is very near the Gaza Strip, it's a rough part of the world to be in. I hope they are safe.

[@dancesmith8742]

​@@FrederickDunnthank you

[@Steele_Wings]

Can you build me one too!!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Hmmm, let me give that some thought... nope :)

[@colingunn4822]

How do you feed your bees. No clean out bottom tray.. Insulation is a joke...... Have fun putting your honey comb in your spiner.

[@FrederickDunn]

These bees have never been fed, they find and found their own forage. Not sure what you mean by "insulation is a joke" this hive wintered perfectly with a full compliment of honey in spring remaining. It's not designed for comb to re removed and spun out. One of the strongest colonies in my apiary at the moment. Pulling the frames will not be easy, as they have connected it to the removable transparent layer. It's interesting. True, there is no bottom tray, the interior is as slick as a whistle.

[@gregw3437]

Another over-engineered log hive. What is wrong with the original?

[@FrederickDunn]

Well, if you reside in Israel where this is designed, full timber is not very available. They did their best.

[@jakesmerth1919]

Bucket list material