>Has anyone had any success in getting an observation hive to winter
>over in the Northeast. Are there any particular tricks to it?  My
>observation hive always dies.
 
 
My only experience with overwinter observation hives has been here in
Maryland.  The observation hive that I overwinter is for one of the local
county nature centers and consists of a single frame width by three deep
frames plus two shallows high.
 
In MD our queens, in full size hives, begin laying in early January.  The
observation hives begin a bit later, but can not retain the heat needed to
keep the brood temperatures at 92-93 degrees F because they can't cluster
appropriately in only a single frame width.  This may seem illogical
because the observation hive is indoors, but it has been the greatest
factor in overwinter the observation hive.  Hives that can't conserve heat
begin laying brood that never hatches or don't even attempt to raise brood,
as if the queen has failed.  The adult population drops and the hive
dwindles before brood rearing gets under way, giving the false impression
that the queen has failed.  Feeding stimulative sugar syrup will not help
because the queen is generally fine.
 
The only way that I have been able to get them to overwinter successfully
is by adding a sheet of the blue styrofoam insulation over the glass on
both sides of the observation hive.  The park personnel remove the
stryofoam during visiting hours and then replace them back on every night.
This greatly helps the bees conserve heat and has been essential to
successful overwintering.
 
I can only imagine that heat conservation is even more important for you in
the northeast.
 
David Bernard
Vice President, Maryland State Beekeepers
EAS Master Beekeeper
USA