Dan&jan wrote:
> I would think a vertical tube would not allow bees to fly. Maybe 
> something like an angled tube that would allow them to walk might work.

We serviced an observation hive that exited about 10 feet above the box. 
  The original clear plastic tube (about 1.5 inch diameter) was steeply 
angled, and the bees would walk partway up and then tumble back.  We 
made the slope more gradual with 2 elbows, and scored the inside tube 
with scratches for a better grip, and the bees did pretty well although 
removal of dead bees was difficult.  They chose to walk/hop, not to fly, 
in all the configurations we tried.  An easy clean-out tray would be 
helpful.  At one point the bees were throwing dead bodies into the 
enclosure surrounding the boardman-type feeder.  It definitely adds 
stress, but with supplemental feeding they should be fine if the tube is 
not too steep.

Carolyn in Plum Branch, SC

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