Mesh floor - open or closed?

[bpmurray]

Now that winter's creeping up on us, what's the consensus for putting the insert into the floor to close the mesh floor?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't unless it's howling a storm and -15˚
My hives are on 18" stands and most of them have a nadired super which keeps the cluster well away from the floor. Mesh prevents wind whistling up anyway.....unless you have the crown board propped open

 

[Millet]

I'm going to leave the wasp proof entrance as it is and pull the inspection tray out 1in under the open mesh floor.. i will monitor for mold and varroa in-between putting a clean inspection tray in regular.. this is my first winter so if i'm wrong this year i will try something different next time around..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'll be finishing varroa treatment this week and all the inspection trays will then be cleaned down and put back in the shed until next autumn.

 

[user 6228]

Try this one .... Replace the tray with some open mesh and tape over the hole in the back where the tray goes in.

 

[Millet]

So 2 layer's of mesh.???

 

[Jimy Dee]

All winter I leave an insert around 30mil under the mesh floor and also close up the back of it as stated by DerekM above. Not claiming to be the authority on this subject but this leaves enough air to circulate around without a gale blowing up into the hive. There is no hard and fast rule - what ever works for your bees.

 

[user 6228]

So 2 layer's of mesh.???

Yes the lower mesh is to reduce drafts but if it has a larger mesh size then detritus will fall freely

 

[REDWOOD]

There has been times when I insert the inspection tray to about an inch of being fully closed but usually they are out all winter

 

[blackie]

I close all my floors up for winter not worth the risk

 

[B+.]

I close all my floors up for winter not worth the risk

I'm exactly the opposite. Mine are completely open

 

[madasafish]

I have supers underneath brood boxes and close all my OMFs for winter.
Lots of air there.

My TBHs have bottom boards in all year round. They do very badly in summer without boards!

We are very exposed and in a frost pocket and 350 feet above sea level.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I close all my floors up for winter not worth the risk

what risk!?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

@derekm ; lots of condensation on one inspection tray got me thinking. How about an aluminium or stainless "inspection tray" left in over winter as a dehumidifier. What do you think?

ADD With the bulk of the downward heat loss being radiant, I would polish it, natch...