Bottomless hives

[Kirk-o]

Has anyone here on the bee page tried Bottomles hives you no no bottom board or is that what a screened bottom board will do.
kirko

[ian davison]

Hi Kirk o

OMF. Open mesh floors have become very popular in the Uk the hives seem to do very well with them. Hives in direct sunlight can benifit and hives are a lot cleaner and dry during the Winter as the moisture and damp air drop straight out. Some of us do add a skirt or an old brood box as a stand to reduce drafts.

There main use however is varroa, Its thought that a percentage of mites naturaly fall of thier host or are dislodged by grooming. If on a solid floor they can simply hop on to the next passing bee but if they fall through the mesh there history and there's been enough evidence to show they can aid in keeping mite numbers down.

Along with other methods like drone comb removal mite numbers can be kept in check until Autunm treatments can be applied. Thats the idea anyway and it does indeed work to a degree.


Regards Ian

[Kirk-o]

Thank You Ian for your response.
kirko

[Jerrymac]

Yeah screen bottoms are bottomless with a screen to keep critters out.

[Brian D. Bray]

Screened bottom boards (SBB) are a passive method of combating Varroa but it is not efficient enough in and of itself.  Dowd sugar shakes and formic acid treatments are also needed in treating Varroa.  The true value of the SBB is in ventilation within the hive.  The bees can move air through the hive much more rapidly and efficiently and aids in evaporation of water content from the nectar.  The fear of drafts can be abated by the use of slatted racks which also give the bees a platform from which to move air through the hive as well as a method for controlling bearding.   

[Kirk-o]

Thank you for all of your responses
kirko