I am installing my first package in two weeks and have a question.......I have a eight frame deep brood chamber with wire mesh bottom board.....will the wire bottom be ok or do I need to get a solid bottom board?
Wire bottom will be fine for the first year. After that, you will likely know if you want to keep it or go to solid. DON'T leave the slide in for more than a few days, if it has one. The small hive beetle and wax moths will raise in the debris it collects.
SBB are alright. Some people leave them open year round, even way up north.
Some people see them as the leading cause of packages and nucs failing to build up because the bees can cover less brood with a gaping hole in their floor spewing cold air. Some think they are fine firewood. It depends on your location and religious beliefs I guess.
Hi Chanticleer,
Religious beliefs aside :-P - I am not sure where Camilla GA is, but I'm in Atlanta and I have screened bottom boards. I have never closed them for winter and have had no problems (going on 6 years). I did put wood blocks around the cement blocks they sat on to reduce the wind blowing through there from November through March.
That being said, now that I have nifty hive stands that lift the hives higher off the ground which will prevent me from making wind blocks, I will probably close them next winter. But I believe here in the south, they help with ventilation and mites and the bees seem to do fine in them.
just my 2cw.
love,
ziffa
Thanks everyone....I appreciate your input.
i have some of each and my absolute strongest hive is on a screened bottom. i can't see where it makes a difference but i'm not planning on using any more going forward.
If you don't have a tray to put under it, make one.