# When to open/close screened bottom



## Rww930 (Mar 14, 2016)

Or just dont have one.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Close it now and open in 2077.


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## Huxta (Nov 11, 2016)

The more I have been reading tonight, the more I agree with you both. Thank you.


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Brad Bee said:


> Close it now and open in 2077.


Too soon.


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## jlw35 (Jul 26, 2015)

I'm new this year as well, and know that the previous posts were made "tongue-in-cheek", but I am also looking for a little more serious response.
Is it the opinion of the TBH community not to have a screened bottom board that opens at all?
The hive that I built has one that I can open in the hot months and close in the winter, maybe I wasted my time with that concept.

Just curious, and again, I understand that humor does not always play out well in an electronic forum, but just trying to increase my chances of success this year.

Thank You
Jeff


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## Rww930 (Mar 14, 2016)

My serious reply us that I dont have screened bottom boards and my bees are fine but keep reading and you will find just as many that swear by them.

Conclusion: either works.


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## jlw35 (Jul 26, 2015)

thanks Rww930, appreciate it. Looks like trial and error might be the best method.
Jeff


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't use top bar hives, but in Langstroth equipment, when a 5 frame nuc box has 4 frames fully covered in bees and temperatures at night are in the high 50s the bottoms can be opened without damage to the colony. If the bottom in a nuc is opened before the night temperatures reach the high 50s the colony buildup can be retarded. A safe guide line is keep the bottom closed until the daytime temperature causes the colonies to start to beard, then open the bottom.

For colonies that are mature 8 to 10 frames fully covered with bees and over, the bottoms can be open all year in my temperature conditions. You will have to learn what works in your location, as all locations differ.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Note that for a typical top bar hive with a screened bottom, the open area is a greater percentage compared to the hive volume than in a Lang style hive. So, in effect, _more_ of the comb is exposed to _light_ than in a Lang with a screened bottom.


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## Nordak (Jun 17, 2016)

Two reasons I stopped using SBBs in TBHs. Bees did their darndest to propolize them shut and they would not build comb full height, stopping a good distance short of beespace as they neared the screened bottom. Seemed they didn't like to be that close to an open floored bottom. I've noticed no detrimental effects moving away from them.


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## jlw35 (Jul 26, 2015)

Nordak,
interesting, I'd hate to lose any comb as the TBH doesn't produce as much as Langstroth (as far as I know).
Thanks
Jeff


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## RichM (Dec 22, 2015)

I don't have them, but in reading the many posts of beginners I would not open it until the hive is well established with drawn combs and brood. Keep it covered or keep the mite tray in. Probably temperature dependent, but they seem to cause absconding when setting up a new hive.


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## bentonkb (May 24, 2016)

I don't use them. The hive beetles love places in the hive that the bees can't patrol. I guess you could put the bottom cover on top of the screen bottom board. What is the benefit?


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

I like my screened boards, but I always want a solid IPM board underneath them. Only rarely do I run them fully open (humid southern summers when they beard badly, and not all my hives do that). I love having the varroa mites and small hive beetles and debris fall through. And I'm pretty good at remembering to scrape off the IPM board into the trash can (otherwise, one should not run screened bottoms with a board underneath-it would be a breeding ground for pests).

I also like to put diatomaceous earth on the solid IPM board to trap all the bad bugs. Just be sure the area is bee-tight so they don't get in it as well.


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## jlw35 (Jul 26, 2015)

Ruth, are you saying that when the bees are "bearding", that they are too hot, thus you would open the bottom board at that time?

Thanks
Jeff


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

jlw35 said:


> Ruth, are you saying that when the bees are "bearding", that they are too hot, thus you would open the bottom board at that time?
> 
> Thanks
> Jeff


not necessarily "too hot", might just be a lot of moisture in the hive due to wet nectar being cured. Extra Bees seem to move outside at that point to let the bees inside do their job. I'm not sure if adding the "ventilation" is what they need or just need a spot to "hang out". For my 2 hives in the front yard, I need to be a good neighbor and reduce the bearding on those hives or I freak everyone out. Adding places for them to go is difficult in a topbar hive (although I have added 3" sections on top similar to a slatted rack where they can hang out)


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

Ruth
I don't run TBHs but have a couple of new folks that are and they hit me with questions, do you have a pic of the slatted rack?


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

I started with screened bottoms but replaced them with solid. It gets very hot and humid here, but my bees don't beard. The key for me was to raise the roof and allow air to circulate between the roof and the topbars. Even on the hottest days the bees needed little extra ventilation. I have a ventilation bar in the back of the hives with six holes. I keep one uncorked all year and only open a second in mid-summer. I've only occasionally opened a third, but never all six.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Eikel said:


> Ruth
> I don't run TBHs but have a couple of new folks that are and they hit me with questions, do you have a pic of the slatted rack?


The slatted rack is actually used on Langstroth equipment under the bottom box to provide a spot for the extra bees to hang out, instead of on the front porch. Link to betterbee catalog here: https://www.betterbee.com/wooden-hive-kits-10-frame/sr10.asp

What I did was build a little 3 inch section that went above the topbars that was screened off and had holes to allow ventilation. In some of my bars, I added access holes for the bees to move up in there. They did, but I didn't like the amount of bees on the topbars when I went to inspect. Last year, the bee hives in the front yard did not beard outside the hive, so I didn't use them that year.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Eikel said:


> Ruth
> I don't run TBHs but have a couple of new folks that are and they hit me with questions...


I've been running TBH's for some years now and teach a monthly class at the garden center where I work to get people started. I'm happy to answer their questions. My bees' FB page is listed in my signature and they are welcome to contact me through messaging/posts on that page.


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## jlw35 (Jul 26, 2015)

Thank you for the help Ruth. I'll visit your facebook page.

Jeff


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