HN Reader

I think this is great. Just the other day I saw this thread about a kid who 3D printed a hive for his bedroom:

https://www.threads.com/@bryanmarktaylor/post/DLXdzZzgcRr

It seems to be based on this design:

https://www.beeamond.com/

How did the ancients come to view beehives as a sign of prosperity? Did they actually understand that bees play a necessary role in plant reproduction cycles?

Neat, reminds me of when I all I wanted was a interior antfarm wall after playing too much sim ants. Cursory research and bummed antfarms aren't nearly as cool in real life.

> For now, it feels good to know that behind me stand centuries of bee-lovers who have had the joy of listening to the hymns of bees far into the night and smelled the intoxicating aroma of honey and propolis waft out across the room before the dawn light begins.

I wonder what that's like. Is it just another nice smell, like coffee brewing while sunlight hits your face?

There was a very large bee colony in the walls of a neighboring house that was in disrepair, and it would emit swarms on a regular basis - which prompted me to capture one and get it in a hive so I could join in the beekeeping adventure.

It was a failure and a lesson learned: bees like sunny locations that can help keep their hive warm, and a shaded yard will not hold them long -- they will abscond.

When I was growing up, I was always fascinated by a very similar installation at the Educational Center at the Five Rivers [1] park in Upstate NY.

The whole point of the place is to walk trails and watch the wildlife in different natural NY environments in the area, concentrated in one park.

The bees were always the first and last thing for me.

[1] https://dec.ny.gov/places/five-rivers-center

If the idea of inside /obervation bee hives interests you, you might enjoy the Youtube channel run by Frederick Dunn. He has an observation hive built into the wall of his recording studio.

It's quite a relaxing channel to watch.

https://youtube.com/@FrederickDunn

How do you keep them safe from other insects and pests? How does this affect pest control within the home?

This gets a solid "nope" from me, and probably everyone else who has a memory of a very painful sting in their past.

Video detailing a technique to grow bees in bottles (easy indoor installation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ItlOFLTUAs by Advoko MAKES

This year I put a beehive in my backyard. I can sit for hours (not really, minutes more likely) just staring at them working, going in and out of the hive. Maybe in a year or two I'll actually get honey.

I learned some really interesting things from the author's replies in the comments at TFA.

Philips Corporation had a concept for this a decade ago.

https://newatlas.com/philips-beehive-concept/20412/

> they sing me to sleep

I read this at first as “sting” and was briefly horrified.

But bees singing is still, to me, quite horrifying, and would not at all help me fall asleep.

A leaf cutter ant colony would also be nice. Not easy to get a queen into the US for hobbyist use though.

A tech writer I worked with many years ago said that once during his adolescence he heard a humming from the exterior wall of his bedroom. This proved to be a beehive between the siding and the installation. He found that a bit creepy.

Well, at least it's not hornets.

This was a cool read. Thanks for sharing.reminds me of the first time I saw a beehive as a city boy. It was a indoor wall hive at the West River UM summer camp near DC.

My grandmother had a swarm of bees living in the outer wall of her porch. It never occurred to my young mind that she might have done it on purpose!

Could Stonehenge be a beekeeping prospect?

This article is a great introduction to the topic of indoor (or rather in-wall) beehives, which I was curious about after seeing a father-son duo construct an impressive setup with hexagonal 3D printed enclosures. The authors voice is very enjoyable. Give it a read if you have a few mins

The comb doesn't look like it's on frames. The vast majority of states require comb to be on a frame or top bar to be capable of being inspected. There are plans online for in-wall mounted observation hives that would be much better than this.

Just makes me wonder what Erika Thompson's take on this project would be

hmm. bee's can easily cause a lot of damage inside your walls. not sure how this is avoided.

Made me realize for the first time Bees are the only insect that most people don't find disgusting. I mean we literally eat what they create: Honey. It would be fascinating to watch them build their hives.