floors

[luap321]

i know you get solid, open mesh and mesh with a draw
i think i read open mesh more natural and more healthy as no pile of dead bees for other things to live in ,
but colder if open has mesh then wont the dead bees be piled on it in winter ?
solid may increase disease but warmer
so mesh with a draw seems the way to go the you could use the draw an monitor things and have the option to use it with out
i wounder about poly-carbonate vs wood for the draw ?
also about putting maybe selotex under the floor in winter ?
also does anyone make there mesh part of floor removable for a quick easy clean (take the staples out so it will slide out the front )?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

never noticed the need to clean the mesh floors in most cases
And now, the dead don't pile up on the floor in winter - in neither OMF or solid floors

 

[enrico]

never noticed the need to clean the mesh floors in most cases
And now, the dead don't pile up on the floor in winter - in neither OMF or solid floors

Bees are clean. If they can get the dead out they will remove them. The mesh floor was to allow falling varroa to fall out of the hive, or that is how it was sold originally . The varroa board that goes under the mesh for a varroa count should only be in when counting although some keep the in in winter if in a windy spot. Your choice really

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have both. The bees keep the floors clean. I often wondered, given the amount of pollen that falls through an OMF, whether the bees chuck it out or use it? I put all my Maisie’s nucs on solid UFE

 

[Erichalfbee]

During a flow I can see a line of bees along the underfloor entrance fanning to keep the air circulation going.

 

[Wilco]

Open mesh floors aren't natural in the slightest for bees in the UK. Normally they pick a cavity such as a tree trunk which thus has a small entrance and is really well insulated from heat and cold.

Solid or mesh makes little difference in terms of dead bees, the bees will tidy them either way.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The mesh floor was to allow falling varroa to fall out of the hive, or that is how it was sold originally

it wa around long before varroa was ever thought about in Europe, but when the revival started in the 1980's they did use that as a selling point

 

[user 6228]

The mesh floor allows wind to enter the occupied space at almost any ambient air velocity sufficient to cause noticeable increased heat loss . i.e. less than 0.1metres per second ( 0.2mph ) .(from computational fluid dynamic modelling)

 

[ericbeaumont]

to cause noticeable increased heat loss

Thanks for the facts, Derek.

One consequence of the heat drain is that bees are reluctant to draw comb to the bottom of frames, so when I get to making floors I'll use UFEs and trial about 20% mesh at the back of the floor.

Below is what bees think of OMFs.

 

[JamezF]

Below is what bees think of OMFs.

Some of mine have done exactly the same.

James

 

[blackcloud]

My stands are all solid topped and insulated.
Wind cannot blow up from underneath
The colony can intake fresh air through the back of the floor if they choose.
Best of both

 

[North End Bees]

My stands are all solid topped and insulated.
Wind cannot blow up from underneath
The colony can intake fresh air through the back of the floor if they choose.
Best of both

So the solid-topped stand provides the same wind protection as a drawer.
Except a drawer can be easily removed to clean off debris, which would otherwise pile up on the solid stands.
So not really best of both

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

why bother with little drawers at all, mine are all on OMF 4" UFE's left open all year round, even the ones at highest altitude, and they are thriving.

 

[blackcloud]

Bare boards not drawers ?
In any caset he debris never builds up to more than a board would because I regularly swap out floors for cleaning.
Once had cbpv but never reoccoured with the cleaning regime.

 

[user 6228]

Any large hole under the mesh i.e. the tray slot opening, is going to largely negate any insulation underneath the floor. You might just reduce the radiation losses a bit but thats it. Btw radiation losses through the mesh are substantial (e.g. more than a couple of watts)

 

[blackcloud]

It reduces upward breeze which,according to the extensive computerised nano technology modelling on my Amazon fire tablet,"doesn't upset the bees that much".

 

[user 6228]

It reduces upward breeze which,according to the extensive computerised nano technology modelling on my Amazon fire tablet,"doesn't upset the bees that much".

I look forward to you publishing your results in Nature

 

[Wilco]

Any large hole under the mesh i.e. the tray slot opening, is going to largely negate any insulation underneath the floor. You might just reduce the radiation losses a bit but thats it. Btw radiation losses through the mesh are substantial (e.g. more than a couple of watts)

I presume you'd recommend solid floors?

What are your thoughts on using an OMF but putting a sheet of correx on top of it in winter?

 

[user 6228]

I presume you'd recommend solid floors?

What are your thoughts on using an OMF but putting a sheet of correx on top of it in winter?

anything that blocks both light and airflow through the mesh to the outside is a winner