how long have beekeepers used open mesh floors

[yeogi75]

how long have beekeepers used open mesh floors, and why do we use them now, when we put bees in the hive we have to shut off open mesh floor to keep the heat up for the bees so why not leave boarded floor in place all the time and let the bees regulate the temperature.

 

[the beehive lodge]

varroa fall through the mesh and die we hope

 

[Baggyone]

Apart from monitoring mite drops I never close off the omf.

 

[itma]

varroa fall through the mesh and die we hope

Its not quite that simple.
But that is the idea our chums in the colonies use {ADDED - a similar floor but with} a slightly wider mesh and a shallow dish of cooking oil beneath - to trap Small Hive Beetles. The beetles can't maintain a large population because they fall through the holes - and die.
Unfortunately, Varroa don't accidentally fall through in big enough numbers to control the population.
But the mesh floor allows varroa population monitoring (by observing the natural death rate).
And if any live ones fall through that's a (tiny) bonus.

The bees are pretty good at temperature regulation. At least in the UK's climate - Summer max to Winter minimum ... I accept that its different in Finland, where it gets REALLY cold.
The bottom ventilation reduces damp problems (and associated diseases).
Its really only for wax-drawing in bad weather that every little bit of hive-warming helps.

The mesh floor makes for a healthier hive, and allows Varroa monitoring.
First introduced in the UK mainstream? About 20 years ago.

 

[Heather]

They used to use matchsticks to ventilate- that allowed warmth to rise and escape- OMF are a healthy option.
And in the winter you can see what and where the action is within the hive without opening up. Wax in lines on the inspection board under the OMF - bees are alive and feeding

 

[yeogi75]

Mr

sorry about title but forgot to do before posting
any way was that the reason for omf, to rid and check for varroa or was there some outer reason,and is there any reason for not returning to solid floor, and put vents somewhere to cure the problem with damp,surly feral bees dont have omf

 

[richardbees]

They used to use matchsticks to ventilate-

.......................used to?

some of us still do in order to clear humidity from glazed cover boards

 

[yeogi75]

Mr

is that still allowed

 

[beeno]

how long have beekeepers used open mesh floors, and why do we use them now, when we put bees in the hive we have to shut off open mesh floor to keep the heat up for the bees so why not leave boarded floor in place all the time and let the bees regulate the temperature.

I was taught to put the varroa inspection tray in when hiving a swarm to make it darker in the hive to enable the swarm to settle quicker. Otherwise I only keep it in during very cold weather and snow. It is not the cold that kills bees but dampness thereof the added ventilation of OMF to stop condensation in the hive by increasing ventilation.

 

[yeogi75]

Mr

what about skeps no omf on them and been used for years

 

[jackbee]

what about skeps no omf on them and been used for years

BV - before varroa

 

[BBG]

Matchsticks

OMF Leave open except for checking varroa or treating ditto.

http://tinyurl.com/7bsnr2g

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Open mesh floors were recommended way before Varroa came on the scene (before my time BTW so I'm sure someone will ellucidate a bit more - where's grumpy when you need him!) It was regareded to be a better system for the bees - giving ventilation into the hive as needed - it was never meant to be closed up at any time - when Varroa turned up the mesh meant quite a few mites fell through thus keeping their numbers down then the tray was added but only to be used when a mite count was required - all other times the OMF was left open.

 

[richardbees]

Open mesh floors were recommended way before Varroa came on the scene

by who? I can't remember anything about it......started in 1988

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Open mesh floors were recommended way before Varroa came on the scene

by who? I can't remember anything about it......started in 1988

As I said before my time but someone on here did explain - the min of Ag were trying to get beekeepers to use OMF before Varroa apparently.

 

[richardbees]

Jenkins

Thanks, if it was the men from the ministry they were probably thinking omf on beehives would help with the badger problem!

r

 

[Hivemaker.]

Open mesh floors were being used back in the 1930's.

 

[user 6228]

open mesh floors ... this needs unpacking

If you look at the research papers mesh floors assist in varroa reduction however they dont need to be open to the outside air to have this effect .

Ventilation arguments with regard to damp reduction are applicable to poorly insulated hives.

 

[yeogi75]

Mr

as i understand omf came before varroa, which means they were developed for dampness ?. which i Carnot understand why they didn't drill holes in the floor and in the roof, or maybe they did and wasn't very successful,

 

[Into the lions den]

as i understand omf came before varroa, which means they were developed for dampness ?. which i Carnot understand why they didn't drill holes in the floor and in the roof, or maybe they did and wasn't very successful,

As Hivemaker has said, they have been around for at least 80 years now, and probably more from the 1950's onwards. Their popularity went up a lot when varroa came in due to the convenient (and fortuitous) way to see if you have mite problem. Never been convinced that the mite falling through the floor was sufficiently frequent to control in any way the mite population.

We still have solid floor on many of our wooden hives, but the omf's are better, giving a (to me) better environment inside the hive,

Holes in the floors? Well that has been done for a long time, and a good number of solid floors, especially in the likes of angstroths where the back of the broodbox is further away from the ventilation through the entrance, have a row of auger holes along the back edge covered over with mesh.

Fancy grade roofs have ventilation as an integral part of the design. The ones we still have that are like that museum pieces really, the simple solid roof with a dead flat interior works just as well and cost a lot less.