Hi:
 
I must be just lucky.  I have kept observation hives year round for longer
than I can remember.  You can check out the one in my office at any time.
It has been on the web since April of 98.
 
Maybe it is harder to keep them going in a warmer climate.  For what it is
worth, make it bigger than one frame.  I never had much luck with little
hives - the unit either dwindled or swarmed.  I keep the sides covered and
sometimes use some form of insulation board.  My office is almost all glass
on the south side, and it is just too bright to leave the hive uncovered
-the bees would soon gunk up the plexiglass with propolis and burr comb.
However, I have seen rows of observation hives in slightly darkened rooms
that go year round without covers.
 
Contrary to statements made on this list, my bees DO NOT FLY outside on a
cold day, even though my office stays at 65-70 degrees F.  On mild days,
they sometimes fly and sometimes stay in.  They seem to know when the
weather is going to stay dry and calm (so they take a cleansing flight).
On other days that look good to me, no one leaves the hive.  And the
weather almost always changes for the worse. A few bees are flying today.
More flew three days ago, and a sizable number flew 5 days ago.  You can
look at the flight files on our web page and cross-reference these to the
outside weather conditions, if you like.
 
When it hit -20 F just before Christmas, the population dropped down
towards the bottom of the hive and stayed near the back side - farthest
from the window.  We suspect that they were avoiding the chilly draft from
the entrance tube and the windows.  The rest of the time, they prefer the
mid- to upper- part of the hive and work towards the window side of the
hive - probably due to slightly warmer temperatures in that part of the hive.
 
Our 96 temperature probe nucleus hive that stays outside also tends to
cluster near the front wall of the hive, above the entrance.
 
My rules of thumb - use at least a two frame (both deeps) hive.  I prefer a
3 frame unit, constructed so that I can lift off the top frame (indoors).
My 5 frame on-line unit was built to mimic our research nucleus hives.  To
date, the bees have never used more than 4 of the frames.
 
Ventilate!!  This is a big issue in a small hive.  I have seen water
pouring down the inside of hives.  The heat coming off the top of a small
observation hive with a strong bee population is amazing.  So pop in some
vents - you can always close the.
 
Make the sides easy to remove - don't put the glass or plexiglass in a
channel - the bees will glue it in so tight it can't be removed.  Following
Norm Gary's design, I surface mount the glass and used mirror clips or
removable wood strips to it in place.
 
Provide a means of feeding the bees.
 
Provide a means of removing dead bees from the bottom of the hive (in case
the bees themselves don't do this job).
 
Watch your bee space.  Too small, and the bees will have to work hard
rebuilding comb to a thinner dimension.  Too large, and they will bridge
with wax and propolis to the glass, obsructing the view.
 
Be sure that you can easily detach the hive from its entrance tube and make
provisions for carrying it outdoors (handles are nice).  Periodically, you
may have to replace a queen, reduce the population size, increase the
population, etc.  Doing that indoors is no fun.
 
Finally, this should be obvious, but make it sturdy and well-sealed.  I
have seen loose entrance tubes fall out of the wall or hive, hives on
cardboard boxes that fall over when a child leans against the box, etc.
 
For years I used glass, but I have changed to plexiglass.  The bees haven't
gummed it up any worse than glass, and the safety factor (against breakage)
is much better.
 
Cheers
 
Jerry