Screen Bottom Boards

banjojohn · June 20, 2005, 08:31:12 PM

I would like to get some opinions on the sbb. Are they worth it to buy them? Are they worth it to make them? I want to medicate as little as possibble. I started to put a couple on(5 hives in the yard) but it is hard to rely on a small test with so many other factors. My honey customers have built up and I don't mind doing what is necessary to help in the long run. I just wanted a hive for myself, but my bees almost always make very light delicate honey(lots of fields with clovers and lot of locust trees)and I have people waiting on it. Also what are the biggest time and money saving things to do as you expand?

drobbins · June 20, 2005, 09:37:04 PM

banjo,

they seem like a no brainer to me
I'm a newbie too
most everybody say's that while they aren't a solution to the mite problem, they help somewhat.
they give you an easy way to monitor the mites by placing a sticky board or something similar under it.
they don't really cost anything, if you already have equipment just saw a hole in the bottom board leaving a 1 inch border around the edge and staple in some hardware cloth.
little cost
might help
gives you a easy way to monitor
why not??

Dave

Joseph Clemens · June 20, 2005, 09:38:28 PM

I should have a more informed opinion soon. I just built my first SBB from cedar fence planks. They are a little less than 3/4" thick, but otherwise they work just fine for beehive part construction.

I plan to install it tomorrow morning on my strongest colony. This colony beards a little, about 6 inches above their entrance at night. The daytime temperature was 108F today. I shall keep an eye on them to see if the increased ventilation helps reduce the bearding and gets them more interested in the last part of our mesquite honey flow.

Miss Chick-a-BEE · June 21, 2005, 07:16:16 PM

I had built my screened bottoms not so much for mite control, but for extra ventilation. My bees were bearding every evening, and cranky. Once I put them on the screened bottoms, all that stopped. I think they really appriciated it.

Beth

bassman1977 · June 21, 2005, 11:02:54 PM

While we're on the topic...I don't have sbb's YET but I was wondering, since they provide so much better ventilation, is it wise to replace them with a regular bottom board during the winter? It would seem logical to me.

mark · June 21, 2005, 11:16:10 PM

i have sbb on my hive open all year and they came through the winter just fine. i did wrap them with tar paper almost to the ground for the winter though.

latebee · June 21, 2005, 11:45:27 PM

Also as an added bonus the increased ventilation helps the bees to cure the honey and control disease that thrives in a very humid environment.

Apis629 · June 22, 2005, 05:03:11 PM

I've heard stories how some beekeepers havn't had a single problem with chalkbrood since they moved to SBBs.

banjojohn · June 23, 2005, 06:22:25 PM

Thanks for the input. I'll get some #8 cloth and get to cutting. My hives sit on cinderblocks 2 high. I was getting ants in some so I poured some termite insecticide around the base of the blocks. It stopped the ants and didn't hurt the bees but it might come up thru the sbb. I'll give it a week for the fumes to be gone then try one.