Screen bottom board & sticky board

[greig1983]

I have a screened bottom board on my poly hive but do you need a sticky board to prevent the mites crawling back up? I thought this was only to measure the amount of mites in a hive?

Sorry for the basic question but I can't find anything anywhere

 

[Erichalfbee]

No you don't need one.
I use mine only as an inspection board. the rest of the time the mites fall through the mesh onto the ground/hive stand

 

[B+.]

do you need a sticky board to prevent the mites crawling back up? I thought this was only to measure the amount of mites in a hive?

You are correct: the sticky board is to stop the mites that fall from climbing back into the hive. You can count them quite easily on the board
If there is no board on the bottom, they fall through

 

[greig1983]

Smashing thanks very much for that. I was just worried there in case they were crawling back up

 

[greig1983]

There's no slots on the poly hive for these. I just put tape on backwards around a small box..

 

[B+.]

Smashing thanks very much for that. I was just worried there in case they were crawling back up

They would only crawl back in if your hive was on the ground. If it is lifted up a little the bees are raised above the cold / damp air that hangs close to the ground over winter too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Errrr do you mean when measuring natural mite drop, then yes
I thought you might mean leaving it in all the time.

 

[greig1983]

He hive legs are on bricks and the board would be around 8 inches from the ground.
So no board is required then permanently, just for mite count?

 

[Finman]

.
Mesh floor does not save you from mites. IT is 20 y old fantasy.

Varroa kills colonies as well in mesh floor hives.

.

 

[Erichalfbee]

He hive legs are on bricks and the board would be around 8 inches from the ground.
So no board is required then permanently, just for mite count?

And when/if using Thymol as a varroa Tx,
Getting confused here.....I mean the inspection board, not anything sticky.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have a screened bottom board on my poly hive but do you need a sticky board to prevent the mites crawling back up?

Also good to have a sticky board to prevent Ants from removing the mites and giving a false impression of the mite situation.

 

[greig1983]

Forget it seems too hard for people no matter how simple I write it.

 

[greig1983]

Also good to have a sticky board to prevent Ants from removing the mites and giving a false impression of the mite situation.

Thank you for that. I was just wanting to know if the mites would climb back up on the hive and if that's why they use a sticky board to prevent them. The way I understand is that they won't be able to climb back up from a decent distance then?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thank you for that. I was just wanting to know if the mites would climb back up on the hive and if that's why they use a sticky board to prevent them. The way I understand is that they won't be able to climb back up from a decent distance then?

That's right, so if your hive is on a stand they won't get back in - the board should only be in for brief periods when you want to check the mite levels, making the board sticky is just to ensure your evidence doesn't get blown away when you take the board out to check - I just don't take the board out in a howling gale, seems easier than making it sticky by whatever means
But all this is immaterial as mesh floors have little impact in the control of varroa, the floors were about long before the mite turned up so don't get too stressed about it.

 

[Swarm]

Forget it seems too hard for people no matter how simple I write it.

?
That's nice.
The question did seem a bit vague in the first place but at least people tried to help, eh? The inspection board, sticky or not, goes in simply to assist the beek with varroa levels (counting) or sealing for some treatments.

The idea of preventing return is one from a vivid imagination.

 

[greig1983]

?
That's nice.
The question did seem a bit vague in the first place but at least people tried to help, eh? The inspection board, sticky or not, goes in simply to assist the beek with varroa levels (counting) or sealing for some treatments.

The idea of preventing return is one from a vivid imagination.

So you actually struggle from the first post? I'm glad some people got it. I'm not being rude but having to repeat it when it's written down perfectly!!

 

[greig1983]

?
That's nice.
The question did seem a bit vague in the first place but at least people tried to help, eh? The inspection board, sticky or not, goes in simply to assist the beek with varroa levels (counting) or sealing for some treatments.

The idea of preventing return is one from a vivid imagination

 

[greig1983]

That's right, so if your hive is on a stand they won't get back in - the board should only be in for brief periods when you want to check the mite levels, making the board sticky is just to ensure your evidence doesn't get blown away when you take the board out to check - I just don't take the board out in a howling gale, seems easier than making it sticky by whatever means
But all this is immaterial as mesh floors have little impact in the control of varroa, the floors were about long before the mite turned up so don't get too stressed about it.

Thanks very much jenkinsbrynmair , your help it greatly appreciated. I didn't want to use things to remove mites if they just fell off and crawled back up.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks very much jenkinsbrynmair , your help it greatly appreciated. I didn't want to use things to remove mites if they just fell off and crawled back up.

That's OK - if you use a proper mite treatments ie thymol based such as apiguard, oxalic acid or even one of the harsher chemical ones and not listen to some wooly hatter and use magic fairy dust (AKA icing sugar) and the likes the mites won't be able to climb back in regardless as either their legs will have burnt off or they'll be dead

 

[greig1983]

That's OK - if you use a proper mite treatments ie thymol based such as apiguard, oxalic acid or even one of the harsher chemical ones and not listen to some wooly hatter and use magic fairy dust (AKA icing sugar) and the likes the mites won't be able to climb back in regardless as either their legs will have burnt off or they'll be dead

Thanks. I have apiguard that I will use in the spring. When would you suggest is the best time to use it? Do you know much about BeeVital Hiveclean as well?