Hive with no mesh floor?

[Sanctuary]

Apologies if this has been posted before.

In the latest BBKA magazine is an interesting article on one beekeepers experiences. Things like no varoa treatment is better for the hive.

The other thing mentioned was not using a mesh floor, because it frustrates the bees less. That kind-of matches my experience, just from seeing what a high percentage of bees are wandering in and out under in the mesh.

But what should we use instead? Anything or nothing? Would a hive be "properly dressed" without any kind of floor?

 

[madasafish]

Apologies if this has been posted before.

In the latest BBKA magazine is an interesting article on one beekeepers experiences. Things like no varoa treatment is better for the hive.

The other thing mentioned was not using a mesh floor, because it frustrates the bees less. That kind-of matches my experience, just from seeing what a high percentage of bees are wandering in and out under in the mesh.

But what should we use instead? Anything or nothing? Would a hive be "properly dressed" without any kind of floor?

I read that article.

It was unfortunate : it was full of opinions... But NOT ONE fact.. Comments about losses but zero figures. For hives or queens. Comments about use of essential oils but no statistics for how strong a mix..

It is possible it may all be true but when I read that kind of article , my scientific training takes over and I dismiss it all as unsubstantiated rubbish - although it may not be..

 

[jonnybeegood]

Apologies if this has been posted before.

In the latest BBKA magazine is an interesting article on one beekeepers experiences. Things like no varoa treatment is better for the hive.

The other thing mentioned was not using a mesh floor, because it frustrates the bees less. That kind-of matches my experience, just from seeing what a high percentage of bees are wandering in and out under in the mesh.

But what should we use instead? Anything or nothing? Would a hive be "properly dressed" without any kind of floor?

Why not try having a hive with no floor? Just dont expect any honey at the end of the year.

 

[Finman]

.
Mesh floor is so widely used and so long used, that it works as well as solid floor.

It depends too, how that floor is kept year around..

 

[REDWOOD]

Mesh floor gives you 2 options.

 

[enrico]

The reason you have bees on the mesh is that the front of your hive between the entrance and the ground is open, they fly under. Block that hole up and you will find hardly any on the mesh. If you get groups of bees on the ground under your hive it is for the same reason. They stay on the bottom of the OMF and get so chilled at night they fall to the ground, too cold to fly, they huddle together for warmth but usually die. Common fault.
E

 

[Finman]

.
Why mesh floor became so popular? Varroa counting is one big reason.

 

[Sanctuary]

The reason you have bees on the mesh is that the front of your hive between the entrance and the ground is open, they fly under. Block that hole up and you will find hardly any on the mesh. If you get groups of bees on the ground under your hive it is for the same reason. They stay on the bottom of the OMF and get so chilled at night they fall to the ground, too cold to fly, they huddle together for warmth but usually die. Common fault.
E

So should I leave the inspection tray in all the time? I forget why I thought I should only put the inspection tray in for short periods, to make an inspection.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So should I leave the inspection tray in all the time?

No. Unless, like some here you can arrange for it to be a very good drop under the box.
Nail a board up in front of the stand, so that the bees don't go under

 

[isc26]

Having read the article I found it interesting that there were significant claims for low varroa with no treatment. However the comments regarding letting colonies swarm, therefore giving a broodless period, is a type of varroa control in itself. Therefore claims of breeding varroa resistant bees rang somewhat hollow.

However some of the comments that sometimes the medicine is more harmful than the disease do have some relevance if somewhat overstated in the piece.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

FWIW, the co-evolution between bees, mite and viruses of a mix that is less lethal to the honeybee should be non-linear. (Bees doing the LEAST of the work, of course, having the longest generation by a large factor).

I reckon the bee did suffer from a period (just ended) of many or most managed colonies getting treated with some really nasty acaricides and most (or some say all) feral colonies dying out. No management (i.e. untreated managed, and feral colonies) is what allows the establishment of an equilibrium so the more feral colonies there are and the more people "get away with" not treating, the more co-evolution can occur. And the more co-evolution occurs, the more those colonies can survive. A self-fuelling process with a tipping point (to quote the jargon).

So the country being "brown with bees" in the number of swarms this year is very good news indeed and I choose to believe what I have said on here a couple of times, that the honeybee is coming back strongly from varroa. SHB next of course... And the forage / pesticides etc problems (on which I am so lucky) are other issues.

 

[madasafish]

So the country being "brown with bees" in the number of swarms this year is very good news indeed and I choose to believe what I have said on here a couple of times, that the honeybee is coming back strongly from varroa. SHB next of course... And the forage / pesticides etc problems (on which I am so lucky) are other issues.

?

"Brown with bees"?

Not round here..

Cold, windy and wet for all of May.... even the bumble numbers have been low.. after a great 1 week in April.

 

[Sanctuary]

No. Unless, like some here you can arrange for it to be a very good drop under the box.
Nail a board up in front of the stand, so that the bees don't go under

Sorry, I must be being thick. If the hive is on a stand, how does a board in front stop them going under?

 

[Finman]

.
I have seen many kind of variations in pics, how floor is on the stand and how it is closed with board. The most odd is a wooden board on concrete tile stand and mesh floor on it. So, if it rains, mesh floor will be moist long time.

 

[MuswellMetro]

?

"Brown with bees"?

Not round here..

Cold, windy and wet for all of May.... even the bumble numbers have been low.. after a great 1 week in April.

London this year has had periods of weather with cold. wet windy weekends and dry and warm Mondays to Fridays

That means the average hobby beekeeper with a standard frame hive has been loath to inspect his hive at weekends due to the weather but has been unable to to inspect during the working week.......result is a lots of primes followed by castes from mid april onwards ( i know of 27 swarms caught from ten national 14x12 on an allotment), out of 15 hives i have lost one swarm on OSR on the 14 #apr and a caste from an Queen cell AS ( missed an emergency Queen cell, and similar level of swarms on training hives that i manage but on these sometimes i had to inpect them on Satrudays in the rain)

 

[beecology]

No. Unless, like some here you can arrange for it to be a very good drop under the box.
Nail a board up in front of the stand, so that the bees don't go under

That is what my stands have - front and rear, as this not only stops bees flying under but also reduces excessive drafts and winds blowing under the hives. This way they have the ventilation but are much less exposed to wind = end result, happier bees n my experience

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry, I must be being thick. If the hive is on a stand, how does a board in front stop them going under?

This way.
please ignore the Recticel jacket.

 

[Dishmop]

Why not try having a hive with no floor? Just dont expect any honey at the end of the year.

B&Q often have special deals on laminate flooring........Choice of woodgrains.

A brood break can be achieved by removing the queen but this will horrify one or two people because of the drop in honey crop....

 

[user 6228]

This way.
please ignore the Recticel jacket.

I cant