Screened bottom boards or not?

[FordGuy]

I'd like to see what percentage of us use screened bottom boards.

would you be interested in a design that allowed for solid board in winter and screened in the hottest days of summer?

[Jerrymac]

I really don't know what a screened bottom board looks like. I built my "bottoms". They are fully open, or can have a screen slid into a slot to keep out critters, and another slot to allow for a tray or what ever, even a board to close it. Or in the first slot I could slide in a solid board to close it off.

[Robo]

I use a modified version (rotated 90) of the plans at BeeSource.

click image for larger view

I also like the ability to close them off with the slide in tray.  I know a lot of folks successfully use SBB year round, even in the North,  but I do believe closing it off makes it easier for the bees to keep the brood warm in the early spring.  The tray also makes monitoring mite drop real easy.

I also tried one hive with no bottom board last year, and was very happy with it.  Obviously only one hive is not very scientific,  but it was an interesting and educating experience.

[Rich V]

I made my own screened bottom boards. I can close them up in the winter if I want to.

Rich V

[Miss Chick-a-BEE]

I have screened bottom boards on both my hives. The stands are on legs 18 inches off the ground. One hive I closed up on the bottom over the winter, the other I didn't. I worried that the open hive would get too much wind, and we did have freezing days. But both hives did great, and I can't say I had much difference in bee population from the two.

Beth

[Michael Bush]

I'm not sure if it makes that much difference on mites, but it sure does help monitor the mites and it helps provide ventilation in the summer.  I have them on virtually all 50 of my hives.

[Horns Pure Honey]

I dont have any this year since it is my first year but I plan on going to the screaned bottom boards. bye

[Lesli]

I have them on all of mine. Even when my hive last year was full to overflowing, I never saw bearding or other signs of a too-warm hive. So I think it did help with that. And it does help if you want to monitor mites.

I overwinterd on it, and it certainly didn't hurt. May have helped too well, since the hive got way big and starved in March.  

[Kris^]

I built screened bottom boards for this year with boards that slide in to close off the bottom.  Last year my one hive had a screened bottom board that I replaced with a solid board in the winter.  Mostly it was for ventilation.  I also place ventilation boxes on top of the hives and they rarely beard in the hottest of days.

-- Kris

[Joseph Clemens]

I am in the process of building my first SBB right now. I am hoping they may improve conditions for my bees.