varroa tray in or out?

[prana vallabha]

a basic question i know ,is it best to keep inspection tray in through winter or take it out on a open mesh floor ...many thanks

 

[drstitson]

out - it's an inspection tray. does what it says on the tin.

some do put in briefly if weather particularly cold/harsh but otherwise no.

 

[prana vallabha]

ok ...thanks . It's my first winter so it's all new to me . cheers

 

[oliver90owner]

When I changed to OMFs, I also was changing to 14 x 12s - more space for the bees, should the weather be really bad, to move up (without having the pain of over-wintering on a brood and a super). Doesn't seem to be an issue with a deep drood only, but I was relatively inexperienced and didn't want to take the chance at the time.

I really think the OP needs to read a little more on the forum, or in books, as the topic of OMF and varroa test trays have come up so often on the forum.

I quite like the idea of the John Harding floors, which seem (to me) to demonstrate the best of adequate bottom ventilation along with the dross-clearing characteristics. One is on my winter agenda for a bit of woodworking.

The main point arising from having the bottom of the hive sealed under an OMF is the festering morass of detritus which will build up where the bees are unable to access it to do any house cleaning duties. Might just as well run a solid floor, instead?

 

[region2]

Some of mine are in a draughty place so I leave them in but notice that the boards are blown/sucked out occasionally. Or maybe the bees all come out and move it themselves!
Obviously I keep it clean - in my first winter (2011-12) I let the debris build up on one and ended up with a perfect home for wax moth...

R2

 

[Erichalfbee]

I experimented with half floors on cold days last year. Don't know if it made any difference as all hives got the same treatment so no control to compare.

 

[itma]

Check the varroa drop a few weeks after whatever treatment has finished.
By checking for the possibility of a significant residual problem, you can decide whether a midwinter treatment is really important or merely optional.

Then take the board out and store it away until spring.
I think its a good thing to limit the wind going under the stand and hive ... which I do with a few bricks (my stands aren't very tall). If you use Tyvek roofing 'felt' membrane against woodpeckers, you could let that trail below hive floor level.
It has been suggested that an empty super could be used either between stand and floor or between floor and brood to help put some distance between the bee cluster and turbulent wind under the hive. My hives are quite well sheltered - it might be more important for others.

 

[alanf]

is it best to keep inspection tray in through winter or take it out on a open mesh floor

Majority opinion is overwhelmingly to take it out except when counting or treating for varroa.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=52

The poll came out around 7 to 1 of those using OMF leaving it out. As ITMA wrote, there are better ways to reduce the wind effect at an exposed site without risking condensation.

 

[Pete D]

When I changed to OMFs, I also was changing to 14 x 12s - more space for the bees, should the weather be really bad, to move up (without having the pain of over-wintering on a brood and a super). Doesn't seem to be an issue with a deep drood only, but I was relatively inexperienced and didn't want to take the chance at the time.

My first winter last year and I aquired some nuc's late season that were big enough for 14x12 frames as in they fit in, but you could see the bottoms of them through the entrance hole. They went through the winter like that, plenty of food and every day it was cold (down to -18) I worried about them.
All came through and built up nicely in the spring and gave a crop this year.

Pete D

 

[REDWOOD]

It is tempting to leave them in and make them warm and cosy but this can do more damage than good as O90O said they are for inspection only

 

[ElectricBlueBee]

Oh, how embarrassing. I've always left mine in except for cleaning them. My mentor never said anything about it. I just thought it was so the mites cant climb back up.

Would the bees be affected too badly if i remove them now, after having had them in all the time? Or will they be grateful?

 

[Dave /Oscroft]

in or out

Ask a question and get lots of answers, but there can only be two answers to this question, in or out . Trouble is I cant make my mind up either. My mentor swears by leaving them in after loosing 12 out of 16 colonies a couple of years ago when it went down to -18. My thoughts are i'll take them out but if it drops to that sort of temperature again i'll pop em back in and then take em out again but thats now three answers! Right or wrong who knows. Its always a bit of a guess this beekeeping lark!

Dave W

 

[itma]

The forum orthodoxy (or at least majority view) is quite clear.
Even if not followed by everyone.

With the top of the hive sealed (no open holes) and insulated, the open mesh floor should be open over Winter. Even in rather exposed sites, the most that is needed is a windbreak around the bottom - which could even be an empty super between stand and the hive's floor.

In a typical UK lowland winter, the risk to the bees is from damp rather than from dry cold. The open floor prevents excessive dampness - but the roof should still be watertight!


Some might consider closing the floor briefly in early spring, to make a change (warmer) with the intention of prompting the colony towards serious brood-raising, a little earlier than otherwise.

 

[TOBY-3652]

i always leave them out all 8 got through winter last year so 17 will be out this year. but my mates got 40 colonies and he has his in all year round

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I believe he original open mesh floors were designed (and recomended) before Varroa thus didn't need or have inspection trays - it was just coincidence that varroa cropped up as they were being introduced in Britain and thier part in varroa control was realised- everything I've read refers to the benefits of OM floors being 'open' even in the severest of winters so no need to close up.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I believe he original open mesh floors were designed (and recomended) before Varroa thus didn't need or have inspection trays - it was just coincidence that varroa cropped up as they were being introduced in Britain and thier part in varroa control was realised-

Yes well before varroa..around the 1930s.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes well before varroa..around the 1930s.

Yes, sorry HM - I meant to allude to the fact there was a drive to persuade beekeepers to use them to improve hive conditions not long before the mite arrived here

 

[REDWOOD]

Ask a question and get lots of answers, but there can only be two answers to this question, in or out . Trouble is I cant make my mind up either. My mentor swears by leaving them in after loosing 12 out of 16 colonies a couple of years ago when it went down to -18. My thoughts are i'll take them out but if it drops to that sort of temperature again i'll pop em back in and then take em out again but thats now three answers! Right or wrong who knows. Its always a bit of a guess this beekeeping lark!

Dave W

Bees don't die of the cold only starvation it's no guess just fact.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Bees don't die of the cold only starvation it's no guess just fact.

Of course they can die of the cold if they are low in numbers....pop some in the deep freeze and see if they are alive a week later.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

had someone in the local association I was a member of at the time (Salisbury) put a swarm in a freezer to kill it (70s), they melted his petit pois!!