Screened bottom boards (SBB)

[Cindi]

Sometimes I get a little confused here:

SBB -- screened bottomboards

SBB -- solid bottomboards

EEks!!!  Wonder if I am alone here? Have a wonderful and awesome day, great health.  Cindi

[Brian D. Bray]

Brian,

How cold do your winters get?

COLD for us is 12 F most winters it's in the mid-20's much of the time.

Sometimes I get a little confused here:

SBB -- screened bottomboards

SBB -- solid bottomboards

EEks!!!  Wonder if I am alone here? Have a wonderful and awesome day, great health.  Cindi

SBB denotes a screened bottomboard, BB denotes (solid) bottomboard, as BB was the quick and dirty reference to a bottomboard back in the days BVM (Before Varroa Mites) when screened bottoms where an extreme rarity.

[reinbeau]

Long way to go, but surprised by the results thus far.

Why are you surprised so far, Mike?

[BjornBee]

Long way to go, but surprised by the results thus far.

Why are you surprised so far, Mike?

I think the fact that 92% have used them in some capacity, taking into account the people who switched back.

I think that this probably accounts to the fact that many on-line beekeepers are a step ahead of the crowd one may find at county and state meetings.

Although the other poll about queen types has me thinking this is one of the lowest counts I've seen as a group  for russian and carni, with italians being far more ahead than I would of thought.

It's interesting to see differences in certain groups of beekeepers. It seems from reading the many posts here that there is much more support for packages, and perhaps less of a push for nucs or even local suppliers of regional bees. And maybe the packages just having italians make them more often used.

[Sean Kelly]

Just like Poka-bee and Kathyp, I'm in the northwest where it's wet all the time in the winter.  The SBB makes a big difference in moisture control.  I started out with solids, tried screened and will never go back to solids.  I prefer the SBB's made by Walter T. Kelley which have a "hive stand/landing board" built right in!  Not only that, but you can pull the screen out from the back to help dump out debris that gets stuck, without disturbing the hive.  Plus they just look sweet!  lol

Sean Kelly

[Robo]

I think that this probably accounts to the fact that many on-line beekeepers are a step ahead of the crowd one may find at county and state meetings.

Don't forget,  most here are hobbyist and have time and $$ to try different/novel things.   We are also living in a time where we are eager to try the latest and greatest gotta have gadgets.  The crowds you find at the county and state meetings are usually older and more set in their ways.  Furthormore, if your running 100s or 1000s of hives,  the delta cost of SBB makes one really weigh the value.   

[CTbeeman]

Yes I use them on all my hives. I don't know if it helps the bees, but it helps me to see whats going on inside the hives. Not to mention less bearding from SSB ventilation.(sp)

[bmacior]

helps me to see whats going on inside the hives

Please explain?  :?

[Brian D. Bray]

Yes I use them on all my hives. I don't know if it helps the bees, but it helps me to see whats going on inside the hives. Not to mention less bearding from SSB ventilation.(sp)

I have long advocated SBB for ventilation, often a much overlooked aspect to beekeeping.  I can see the ground looking down through between the frames, but as for seeing what's going on inside I can't do that even when I crawl under my bottomless hives (yes there's room to do that).  What littlel bearding I get festoons from the slatted rack to also protects the underside of the hive from larger predators (skunks & coons, not bears).

[Cindi]

that even when I crawl under my bottomless hives (yes there's room to do that).  What littlel bearding I get festoons from the slatted rack to also protects the underside of the hive from larger predators (skunks & coons, not bears).

Brian, have to say this...you have conjured up a pretty funny scenario when I picture you, in my mind's eye, crawling under your bottomless hives, you made me laugh, and it brought that wonderful smile to my face.  Love it!!!  I'm thinking you are the larger predator, hee, hee, not the skunks, coons nor bears, hee, hee!!!  Hope that isn't how you get your honey, hee, hee.....Have a most wonderful and awesome life and day, great health wishes to us all.  Cindi