Beecosystem is a beautifully-designed indoor observation beehive system, and I think it’s pure genius. An observation hive is a fully functional beehive that includes a see-through portion for observing the bees without disturbing them.
Wandering around Etsy, I have on occasion come across observation hive plans, but they seemed kind of intimidating and looked like a lot of work. But Beecosystem sends you everything you need, including comprehensively-designed parts, simple instructions, and a robust support system for beginner beekeepers.
Here are a few bee facts:
- More than 100 crops are pollinated by bees in the U.S.
- 1 out of 3 bites of food was pollinated by a bee
- On average, 1 out of 3 colonies are lost each year
While there were 6 million beehives in the U.S. in 1947, today, there are only 2.5 million. This decline is partly due to indiscriminate use of pesticides and diseases like Colony Collapse Disorder, but it is also partly because of a decrease in the popularity of beekeeping. The folks at Beecosystem are doing their best to make beekeeping appealing to a whole new generation of keepers.
I can see these observation hives being a big hit, not just in homes, but also in schools, restaurants, food coops, anywhere where people need to be reminded of where their food comes from.
Of course, if the $599 price tag is a big too much for you, there are still plenty of D.I.Y. plans out there, but for those of us short on time (and skills), Beecosystem is a great solution.
You can follow Beecosystem on their website and on Facebook.
July 29, 2018 at 8:05 am
What a neat idea. I’m guessing you can’t harvest the honey but will have to study it closer.Do you know about the system from “down under” that the honey just pours out into the jar? Hmmm. I have questions about that too.
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July 29, 2018 at 8:46 am
You actually can harvest the honey, but not until the hive is well established.
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July 29, 2018 at 9:13 am
Thank you for sharing this. I had not known about observation hives. This is fascinating.
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July 29, 2018 at 9:51 am
It’s a fantastic idea. I first saw one in a building in Glasgow years ago, a museum I think. I hadn’t thought about them being installed at a domestic level but why not?
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July 29, 2018 at 6:31 pm
I agree! Though you might need someone to look in on them if you go on vacation.
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July 29, 2018 at 2:03 pm
I remember seeing something similar when my family traveled as a child – I think at Stuckey’s! I would watch those bee hives for the entire time my parents would shop and order our food.
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July 29, 2018 at 6:33 pm
How cool! I would have been all over that! (Probably literally. I always wanted to pet bees.)
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