# Why are bottom boards reversible?



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

While getting ready to make up bottom boards for 5 frame nucs, I wondered why all the standard size bottom boards I have are reversible. I've never reversed any. Merely reduced the entrance as needed. What's the history and logic? Is the point getting the main bed of the bottom board up off the ground?


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## concrete-bees (Jun 20, 2009)

the reverible option is to take away the need for entrance reducers 

most are 3/8" for fall winter and spring and 3/4 " for summer 

this is so that you dont need to keep track of hundreds of little blocks of wood


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

To make hiding places for black widows.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Will a mouse/shrew fit through the 3/8 opening? Blocking them is one reason for reducing.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

A mouse can squeeze through a space 1/4 of an inch thick.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

I was always told that bees need more space to come and go in the summer when the population is large, then you flip it over in fall to reduce the entrance to keep out pests, reduce robbing, drafts, etc.

Honestly I've never reversed them and always use the small opening based on recommendations of a large beekeeper when I first started keeping bees. I honestly don't see a need for the larger opening and I even have a few hives that only have a 2 1/2" x 3/8" upper entrance and they have been just as productive as hives with much larger entrances.

-Tim


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Any problems with overheating with that small of an entrance Tim?


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

There doesn't appear to be any problems. About half the bottom board is screened (though no entrance) and I used a ventilated inner cover on it. 

-Tim


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## mrspock (Feb 1, 2010)

According to Idiots guide to beekeeping, it's a summer/winter thing.

The larger is for winter to allow space for dead-bees... In the summer the smaller one is to be used so they don't build comb in the space.

Sounds like a lot of lifting.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

tarheit said:


> There doesn't appear to be any problems. About half the bottom board is screened (though no entrance) and I used a ventilated inner cover on it.
> 
> -Tim


Sounds good. I'm experimenting with an upper entrance only. I had to use a non-screened bottom board though. I'm beginning to get concerned that they may overheat. :/


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

We make ours BB 1/2 in and we rip some one inch strips some 1/2 way across some with really small openings and some 3/4 across. We switch them in and out. It is the left over rips from making the bottom boards. 

They are all Screened so the opening is just traffic control the SBB allows the ventilation.


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## bermybee (Nov 2, 2008)

tarheit said:


> Honestly I've never reversed them and always use the small opening based on recommendations of a large beekeeper when I first started keeping bees.  I honestly don't see a need for the larger opening and I even have a few hives that only have a 2 1/2" x 3/8" upper entrance and they have been just as productive as hives with much larger entrances.
> 
> -Tim


Tim same here was told the same nonsense. I use plywood and 3/4 inch strips of pine nail to a deep with a 3'' opening (easier for transport all so) and just a piece of ply for top with no inner cover.


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

Andrew Dewey said:


> Will a mouse/shrew fit through the 3/8 opening? Blocking them is one reason for reducing.


I've NEVER had them go through a 3/8" opening, have serious mouse problems with anything bigger including mice climbing a 3 deep hive to go in the upper entrance.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

mine aren't. palletized.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

This may be a little off topic, but I keep reducers in year round. Does anyone else do this? I do it b/c one day we might have a flow, next day they rob each other. 
:scratch:


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

They were originally built w/ a summer side and a winter side. 3/8" side for summer. The otherside for winter. According to Dr. Doolittle's 1908 publication "A Year's Work in an Out-Apiary".


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Are you sure about that Mark? I believe it's the other way around. 3/4" side for summer to give plenty of room for foraging bees, and 3/8 side for winter, enough for ventilation and small enough to keep mice out.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Page 1 of the previously sited book reads "As I use the Dr. Miller bottom board, the same having a two-inch-deep side for wintering, and a three-eighths-inch-deep side for summer,..."

Didn't look right to me when I read it. And if I hadn't just gotten this book and looked at it when this Thread Question came up I would have said the opposite. Some more reading is required to find out why. Or if Dr. Doolittle made an error in his book.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Here is another link to a similar quote: Dr. C.C. Miller Bottom Board Described.

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For me bottom boards are not reversible, nor are they synonymous with "entrance". In other words my bottom boards are not entrances.


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## biggin (Jul 1, 2010)

3/8" is the magic number for keeping mice out. I build all of my bottom boards (screened) with a 3/8 opening and never have I had a mouse problem. No muss No fuss! As romco says "set it and forget it"


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the deep side for winter is so that dead bees don't build up and plug the entrance. And that the short side is for summer so bees can more easily gaurd the entrance. But I wasn't there when the dimensions were established.


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