This idea came from Simone as part of the recent “Suggestions 2020” post. Simone posted this photo from Google that shows the Fairy Door on a big tree, I’ve interpreted it in to a Native Bee Observation Box.

This will not be for sale but will become part of the “Hives on Tour” program, where interesting Native Bee Hives spend some time at different places like shops and gardens so people will get to see it on show with bees in it.

Below: Starting with some brainstorming and playing with blocks of wood…

Below: I shaped the door timbers to give it a bit of character….

Below: The basic frame… roughly 6 litres volume..

Below: Setting out the border frame for the door…

Above and below: Not quite finished, I still have to do some internal structures and clear acrylic window.

Below: It’s a fair bit of work to get it to look rough 🙂

The Entrance

I shaped a piece of wood to a curve that sits under the door when it’s closed…

Upper and lower viewing panels close in the box

Stained

Although the raw Cypress looks great while it’s freshly sanded, after a while it goes grey. I stained and gloss coated the box for the long term look.

Update 13/08/2020

Connected up as a Budding/Eduction/Duplication hive. Firstly i disguised the main hive with a photo of the fairy door to get the bees used to the image for a week.

I then moved the main hive to the left and placed the fairy door hive box in it’s place and connected them with a black tube. (shown middle of photo)

Below: the bees entering the Fairy Door hive from the tube…

Below: It took a while for the bees to find the exit out of the Fairy Door hive…

Video Update below: 30/08/2020

Update below: 15/11/2020

Three months from connection. Good construction with plenty of bees. I feel construction might be a little slow here. That’s up to the bees though. I’d say construction might increase over the coming warmer months.

Update below: 21/03/2021

A few layers of brood!! Seven months from connection.

Update April 2024