Indoor beekeeping

[HockeymanVT]

Ok,  I am planning to return to back yard beekeeping after a lapse of 40+ years.  Is it OK if I start right out with a wild and crazy idea? I am certain we have bears in the area where I live.  What I want to do is to build a small room in the upper floor of our separate garage and workshop. I intend to place two hives in this space. I will have a door to this room to keep it isolated from the rest of the large open room. I will have a window in the room for ventilation and to allow bees that escape from the hive during inspections to return via the outside entrance. Because this is inside the building and 12' above the ground I am hoping to keep the bears at bay.  I can add electric countermeasures if needed. I can put a fan on a "cool down" thermostat in the window for warm weather.  Can you see any fatal flaws in this idea?

[Brian D. Bray]

If there are crack or crevices in the walls, door, etc. you might expect visitors in the other areas of the building.  I would make sure that all moldings and gaps are properl sealed.  
leaving only a 1/2 inch opening at the bottom of the window will allow the bees to come and go fairly well.

[HockeymanVT]

I fully intend to have a separate full size direct exit to the outside with a landing board. The only time I expect bees to be loose in the mini-room is during exams. The window will just allow of a way for the escaped bees to find their way back to the entrance.