In parts of South Africa due to vandalism some beekeepers keep their hives
in containers.  The containers are ventilated from below and above and the
hive bodies stand on shelves against the containers walls with openings to
the outsides, which are so designed that the bees travel straight into the
hive and are not able to fly around inside the containers.

Possible problems may arise with mating flight of queens returning to the
wrong entrance(all entrances are similar).  Also hive inspections and honey
removal- I'm not sure how they do it but I would imagine they would have to
remove the hive from the container, work outside and replace it afterwards.
If you follow the route of your bees travelling directly from outside into
their hive without flying around the shed you will still be able to use your
shed for whatever with minimal disturbance of the bees.

Mel

-----Original Message-----
From: Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Joan Schavee
Sent: 28 February 2001 01:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Condsidering trying interior hive.


Has anyone experience with maintaining hives from within a shed, garage,
barn.