Bottom board and mesh

[Beekeeper Jason]

I finally got my first colony of bees all installed and settled in. Is it best to remove the bottom board so that it just has the mesh? The weather at the moment in North Yorkshire is warm and humid but changeable.

 

[madasafish]

Personally I leave bottom boards in all year.Makes no difference .

 

[drex]

I only put them in when monitoring. If in all the time detritus builds up, unless regularly cleaned. Ideal breeding ground for wax moth.
I am further south than either of you, but personally I feel that makes no difference to how well the bees ventilate the hive

 

[ericbeaumont]

just has the mesh

Although the OMF is the default floor these days, its value is overrated; it appeared on the market when varroa first arrived in the UK, and was said to allow the removal of about 5% of varroa though grooming. I have yet to see research to suppport that claim, but it certainly diversified suppliers' sales opportunities.

I have learned that bees will propolise mesh floors to the degree necessary to modulate thermal & humidity levels to maximise colony efficiency, and cooler air near the mesh prevents the drawing of comb to the base of the frame; bear in mind that 35C is needed for comb production.

Board in or out? On a windy rooftop apiary, in all year. At ground level, the book says they should be used to test varroa drop for two weeks a year, and spend the other 50 in the shed. Suggest you leave it in until they have drawn any foundation to the base fully.

As Drex said, watch out for wax moth larvae in the board detritus.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

never use bottom (inspection) boards any more - my floors are open summer and winter.
It now seems fashionable to denigrate OMFs, but it will change again in a few years. I've used both solid and mesh floors - never noticed much difference.
as for bees propolising up the mesh, never observed it to a great extent and even then, the colonies seem to change their minds from season to season.

 

[user 819]

OMF from day one of bee keeping here and now use the UFE 3/4 mesh floor.
Propolising never had an issue, insert board only used for monitoring mite load and vaping.
I may trial using a thermal 10mm floor tile board over winter on my hives to see if it helps to reduce stores usage, the poly broods with extra top insulation are pretty good thermally .
It is noticable that poly over timber broods (even with top insulation) perform better earlier in the year, stores last longer and build up is a few weeks ahead.

Every one has a differing view si one has to try this way or that way and make his /her own mind up to the lacale where they are kept.
Certainly from early/mid spring to early winter inserts are really needed , but ymmv.

 

[Rory Fields]

Although the OMF is the default floor these days, its value is overrated; it appeared on the market when varroa first arrived in the UK, and was said to allow the removal of about 5% of varroa though grooming. I have yet to see research to suppport that claim, but it certainly diversified suppliers' sales opportunities.

I have learned that bees will propolise mesh floors to the degree necessary to modulate thermal & humidity levels to maximise colony efficiency, and cooler air near the mesh prevents the drawing of comb to the base of the frame; bear in mind that 35C is needed for comb production.

Board in or out? On a windy rooftop apiary, in all year. At ground level, the book says they should be used to test varroa drop for two weeks a year, and spend the other 50 in the shed. Suggest you leave it in until they have drawn any foundation to the base fully.

As Drex said, watch out for wax moth larvae in the board detritus.

THIS re refusing to draw the bottom of frames.

 

[KeithD]

I finally got my first colony of bees all installed and settled in. Is it best to remove the bottom board so that it just has the mesh? The weather at the moment in North Yorkshire is warm and humid but changeable.

Interesting, I'm just getting started with a topbar hive with mesh floor, having add bees from swarm catcher box (solid wood box) they appear to have spent first day sealing the mesh floor.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

THIS re refusing to draw the bottom of frames.

all mine draw right down to the bottom bar - and I only have one single beespace above the OMF

 

[pargyle]

Interesting, I'm just getting started with a topbar hive with mesh floor, having add bees from swarm catcher box (solid wood box) they appear to have spent first day sealing the mesh floor.

Well ... the bees will show you what they want ...in your location and with your hive and with your bees ...so ... ask five beekeepers the same question and you will get six different answers - all of them right !

Evidence ? Just read the posts above !

Me ? My inspection boards stay in all the year round but they are 50mm below the mesh and my hive stands protect the bottom of the hive from any draughts ... If you leave them in all the time they do need to be cleaned off regularly as they can be a magnet for wax moths.