All the pictures I see of bee hives have the bee hive stand made w/wood and have the slanted wood in front, a runway of sorts for the bees. My local bee hive store said this was totally optional, but every hive I see has them. I have my hives (unpopulated at this point, to be populated this coming week) sitting on cinder blocks w/o the wooden hive stand.
Is this stand required/suggested or just the way it's normally done so everyone does it that way?
Thanks for helping with my last minute (maybe they shouldn't be) questions about my bee hive setup.
Jeremy
The setup can vary, some have a stand (as you describe) then the bottom board then the hive box.
I have seen many variations, I currently build my own with the stand and bottom all combined into one piece, the first was from pine and has a sloped landing board, the second is from cedar and is flat. I made the landing board a little big and will change that in future construction.
(http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/4061/foresale1.th.jpg) (http://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=foresale1.jpg)
(http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/472/sbb11.th.jpg) (http://img115.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sbb11.jpg)
Bottom line is if it works for you, the setup you have is just fine.
I have my 2 hives sitting on cinder blocks without the slanted landing board. I don't see any problem not using one. However maybe it would be good. I can see bees coming into the hive and miss the landing that is there.
At times they look like they are heavy with nectar or pollen.
I don't use landing boards at all. In this area they just allow rain to splash, or even worse flow into the hive. The bees land right below the 3/8" entrance slit and walk right on in. No problems.
SH
Obviously all natural hives have that ramp. ;)
Actually it's to help the mice get into the hive...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#hivestand
I not only don't care for the ramps, I think they are a very bad idea. They just help the mice in.
IMO the slanted front builds the stand up higher off the blocks allowing for slots to be put into the back of it accomodating a screen and a white inspection board. It can be sealed off or left open depending on your preference, where as a flat wooden bottom board is just that, you dont get a choice. I don't think the slanted front porch makes much difference either way, its really whether you want that additional ventilation from the bottom or not.
-pc
I don't use landing boards either, but then I don't even use bottom boards. My bees either fly into the hive from under the hive stand, the vast majority, or use the upper entrance/air vent. The most popular entrance from the bees point of view that I've seen is just an entrance place between the 2 brood boxes. make a 3 sided shim, leaving the 4th side open, to the front, and they will come and go like crazy.
Where hive entrances/exits are concerned the departing bees crawl up from the entrance and take off from above the entrance while returning bees land below the entrance and walk up to it. It's part of bee effiecency. The lower hive body makes a very good landing board.
For bees landing boards are better vertical than horizontal. More natural, watch a feral hive and see.
I am considering doing away with landing boards because even though my hives are tilted a bit toward the front, when it rains water pools on the boards. Bees coming in can flip over and their wings can get stuck to the board. A few always drown this way after a rain.