Should we leave varroa board under the Mesh Floor in winter?

[Do224]

No. There’s no connection between the bees and the roof is there?
The few wooden roofs I have are filled with insulation anyway

Yeah I agree...just seems odd that the manufacturers insist on putting the vents in

 

[Boston Bees]

Yeah I agree...just seems odd that the manufacturers insist on putting the vents in

I think it's a throwback to the original design of the national hive, never corrected and for some reason still stuck to by manufacturers. Given that most "starter kit" beehives also come with crownboards with two large holes in, these vents put beginners in a bad position.

 

[Do224]

I think it's a throwback to the original design of the national hive, never corrected and for some reason still stuck to by manufacturers. Given that most "starter kit" beehives also come with crownboards with two large holes in, these vents put beginners in a bad position.

Also, why don’t crownboards just have one hole in the middle?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Also, why don’t crownboards just have one hole in the middle?

Because they are designed for the only clearing mechanism in common use at the time. Porters

 

[pargyle]

Also, why don’t crownboards just have one hole in the middle?

Because they were originally intended to be dual purpose - crown boards and clearer boards - at the time the 'standard' clearers were Porter Bee escapes which block up and are pretty useless so one was never enough ... hence - STILL two bloody ovaloid holes. One day the manufacturers will carch up with more modern methods (I live in hope !).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Why do manufacturers put vents in the roof...are they important for the summer?

No - it's another thing only done in the UK because hobbyists expect it.

 

[oliver90owner]

Should we need to leave the varroa board under the open mesh floor in winter?
Thanks

The above was the initial title post.

Yeah I agree...just seems odd that the manufacturers insist on putting the vents in

Simple. This relates to timber roofs. If damp gets into the space between crownboard and roof, rot will start. Ventilation is provided to keep that space dry and prevent rotting hives. Nothing more and little less.

Also, why don’t crownboards just have one hole in the middle?

Simply down to the manufacturer. Sometimes the feed hole used can be important. If placed directly above the brood with a liquid feed, a feeder failure (leak) can be detrimental to the brood nest. Another case of the beekeeper thinking.

I use solid crownboards, only replacing them with one with a feed hole if necessary. But I don’t scavenge as much honey as possible, from the colony, and replace with sugar syrup these days. Nor do I feed, unless necessary.

 

[Moobee]

I'm in a fairly exposed site too, on top of a hill near the edge of Exmoor, hence my particular interest in how they might prefer to be kept.

James

I live on a very windy part of the south coast (literally a minute from the beach) and keep the boards in all winter as despite trying to shelter the hives as much as possible, we often get very strong winds through the garden which have blown panes out of the greenhouse.
I think they benefit from not having a gale force under the brood nest.

 

[Moobee]

Also, why don’t crownboards just have one hole in the middle?

I made some of my own as I wanted some with no holes and a few I could stick a rapid feeder on. Not difficult to do with some ply and wood strip.

 

[oliver90owner]

I live on a very windy part of the south coast (literally a minute from the beach) and keep the boards in all winter as despite trying to shelter the hives as much as possible, we often get very strong winds through the garden which have blown panes out of the greenhouse.
I think they benefit from not having a gale force under the brood nest.

Put a box below the OMF? Bees (in 14 x 12 frames) are always between the frames, not in direct fire of draughts. That was one of thereasons for changing to that format two decades ago. Even store a few widely separated frames in that box. If clean and well separated, the will not cause any problem.

 

[oliver90owner]

I made some of my own as I wanted some with no holes and a few I could stick a rapid feeder on. Not difficult to do with some ply and wood strip.

Not thought of simply covering those gaping holes with a tile or piece of ply? Seems simpler than making whole crownboards.

 

[Moobee]

Not thought of simply covering those gaping holes with a tile or piece of ply? Seems simpler than making whole crownboards.

I needed some more anyway and had some ply from another project so why not make what needed. I have old bits of vinyl tiles I put over the holes though.

 

[Moobee]

Put a box below the OMF? Bees (in 14 x 12 frames) are always between the frames, not in direct fire of draughts. That was one of thereasons for changing to that format two decades ago. Even store a few widely separated frames in that box. If clean and well separated, the will not cause any problem.

Ah but I can also check what the bees are upto from the cappings (or lack of) and the varroa drop from OA vape etc by checking the boards every couple of weeks. Works for me.

 

[Sanntos]

Because they were originally intended to be dual purpose - crown boards and clearer boards - at the time the 'standard' clearers were Porter Bee escapes which block up and are pretty useless so one was never enough ... hence - STILL two bloody ovaloid holes. One day the manufacturers will carch up with more modern methods (I live in hope !).

Clearly the manufacturers can't change the crown boards, because they have too many Porter Bee escapes left unsold

 

[user 20297]

Today, I revisited the original subject of this thread. I've considered the various arguments around keeping the "Varroa" board under the hive all winter and decided that where I live and with my bees, it's a beneficial thing to do so. After last winter, I noted that one of my colonies that had ended up with a home-made, solid floor made of 25mm PIR was an early boomer and brought in a fantastic haul of spring honey.

In addition to a few hives with simple, home-made, solid, wooden floors, I have five occupied hives with Abelo floors. I decided to cut squares of 25mm Xtratherm just the right size to push-fit into the recess under the floor mesh. Measuring that was tricky with the Mk.1 floors, but easier with the later version with a plastic tray, where I simply cut a pice of PIR to fit the tray and then slid that back in. With the polystyrene trays I put them back upside down which makes the job even more snug.

Come spring, the bees will be sweating like pigs, but just now, as the cold has just snapped in I'm certain they will appreciate my attention to detail.
All the above is proof that you can meddle with bees, even in winter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It will be interesting to see how clean the bees manage to keep the floor. You'll have to let us know in the spring

 

[user 20297]

It will be interesting to see how clean the bees manage to keep the floor. You'll have to let us know in the spring

As long as it's not knee deep in dead bees, they can have it any way they wish....just not open mesh for the winter.

 

[oliverkelly]

I have left in varroa floors, to see what happens, and if the varroa floor is close to the mesh, then you end up with a mouldy mess of old cappings dead bees etc as the bees can't clean between the mesh and the floor. Also the varroa that drop can climb back up.
Even if there is a gap the floor ends up covered in damp mouldy stuff.

Without mesh most bees keep the floor very clean.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have left in varroa floors, to see what happens, and if the varroa floor is close to the mesh, then you end up with a mouldy mess of old cappings dead bees etc as the bees can't clean between the mesh and the floor. Also the varroa that drop can climb back up.
Even if there is a gap the floor ends up covered in damp mouldy stuff.

Without mesh most bees keep the floor very clean.

That’s my experience
If you leave the mesh in no matter how closely you block it off underneath the bees can’t keep it clean and it ends up a mess.
I do leave my inspection trays underneath but they are well below the mesh and there is a gap underneath. I clean them regularly. The colonies on solid floors keep them scrupulously clean.

 

[user 20297]

I have left in varroa floors, to see what happens, and if the varroa floor is close to the mesh, then you end up with a mouldy mess of old cappings dead bees etc as the bees can't clean between the mesh and the floor. Also the varroa that drop can climb back up.
Even if there is a gap the floor ends up covered in damp mouldy stuff.

Without mesh most bees keep the floor very clean.

We'll see. At least I'm not the first one to be so stupid.