Best way to install new varroa floors?

[colintinto]

Hi All,

New beekeeper, and new to this forum.

Brief background - I have inherited 3 colonies from my elderly and ailing father-in-law, who is a great beekeeper but hasn't wanted to admit he's needed help with them for some time, so I'm on a bit of a recovery mission.

The colonies, particularly one of them, were badly affected with varroa.

I am switching over to mesh floors, and purchased 3 economy 'varroa' floors, basically three bits of wood on three sides of the square with some mesh attached.

What's the best way of installing these below the hives? I think I read somewhere to turn the old floors upside down and place the new mesh floor on top? I assume it needs to be mesh down, wood up, to leave an entrance? My only query about that is that the entrance is then quite large - maybe 20-25mm high?

I also want to be able to put in the temporary floors to do a varroa count, how would they fit in?

Thanks

Colin

 

[Midland Beek]

You need three entrance blocks as well. An entrance block fits into the entrance. Sometimes there are little rebates cut into a floor into which the entrance blocks sit. So what I am trying to say is that it is best to make sure the entrance blocks fit before the floor is put into use.

To replace the floors it is best to move the hive to one side. And the replace each part of the hive onto the new floor. You will most likely not need the entrance blocks in this time of the bee season, depending on colony strength.

 

[drstitson]

the simplest approach (if you have 4 pairs of hands) is to lift hive off floor, remove floor and replace with mesh floor, lower hive, job done.

if single handed then need to move hive onto new floor at side, remove old floor, remove whole hive back.

or various variations depending upon how heavy hive is.

 

[thurrock bees]

the simplest approach if single handed then need to move hive onto new floor at side, remove old floor, remove whole hive back.

or various variations depending upon how heavy hive is.

 

[MuswellMetro]

sorry but these beekeepers have advised you on how to use a standard OMF what you have is a varroa screen used with solid floors , it is not an OMF floor


so place a stand or an empty super next to the hive

place a crown board on it

place the brood box to be re floored on it

clean the old solid floor and turn it through 180 degrees so the entrance faces the other way

place you varroa screen on the floor, mesh side down open entrance the original way

place the brood box on the varroa screen andre fixed roof etc

shake any bees left on the stand infront of the hive

done

to monitor varroa, you can put a white card on the solid floor through the old entrance which is now at the back

 

[For want of a better word]

Thanks Mr London Dubble Dekker man............

I was going to ask that question ... but was just tooo embarrased to ask !!!!!

 

[nonstandard]

Personally I'd buy some 20mm square timber and put three lengths in the bottom if the economy OMF's with the opening opposite the one on the top. Then tack in a couple of plastic hive rails and cut some ply or an old estate agents sign to make a slide in Varroa tray.

To help control the Varroa you could put a couple of super frames in the brood box and cut off the drone brood once it's sealed.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[fredbloggs]

Hello colin

Are these supplied by Thxxnes? They should come with yellow corrolux (spelling suspect but corrogated plastic sheet if that is any clearer) inspection boards. These slide in on plastic runners?? If they are txxxxxs, do you have the instructions?

Regards

FB

 

[colintinto]

Thanks all, starting to make sense now. Fred - they are Thxxnes but no yellow card or instructions - not sure if they should have had or not.

I'm sure I can knock something up.

Already treated with Oxcalic acid by sublimation and have a short frame in the brood box of the worst affected colony. Hopefully I can save them!

Colin

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hello colin

Are these supplied by Thxxnes? They should come with yellow corrolux (spelling suspect but corrogated plastic sheet if that is any clearer) inspection boards. These slide in on plastic runners?? If they are txxxxxs, do you have the instructions?

Regards

FB

sorry again, no,

you are talking about a OMF Floor, if you look at his thread and £hornes catalogue what he has is as below, it does not have the yellow tray and runners , it is designed to fit on a solid floor and was common before OMFs

i have fitted many of them in the late 90's for my GF ( like a 100)

 

[tkwinston4]

Muswell you are spot on, I have the same to convert my smiths.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[tkwinston4]

And your explanation of how to use em are bob in.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk