# Building a tray below a screed bottom board



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

DE on the ground is not quite as good as DE in the IPM tray under the screened bottom board. My TBH kits from Beeline Woodenware already came with the slide out boards and I will see if I can get you a photograph of how they do it. It's a small frame built with 1x2's that the Masonite board sits on. There is a small piece of wood in the end that doesn't let the curious bees get into the dust, as it's toxic to them. That's one of the reasons why I didn't spread it below my hive. I have many heavy laden workers that end up in the grass below the hive before they finally make it in the hole.

I ran all my hives with DE in the bottom board and I really liked the results. I haven't used the formic soaked pads, but they can just be placed on a Tupperware lid on the IPM board on top of the DE dust. You don't need a heavy layer. I've also found that it kills wax moths. my guess is mites would meet their demise as well, but I can't see any in the dust so far.

DE on the ground has to be reapplied each time it rains. I reapply the DE on the IPM board about every 3 weeks.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

ruthiesbees said:


> DE on the ground is not quite as good as DE in the IPM tray under the screened bottom board. My TBH kits from Beeline Woodenware already came with the slide out boards and I will see if I can get you a photograph of how they do it. It's a small frame built with 1x2's that the Masonite board sits on. There is a small piece of wood in the end that doesn't let the curious bees get into the dust, as it's toxic to them. That's one of the reasons why I didn't spread it below my hive. I have many heavy laden workers that end up in the grass below the hive before they finally make it in the hole.
> 
> I ran all my hives with DE in the bottom board and I really liked the results. I haven't used the formic soaked pads, but they can just be placed on a Tupperware lid on the IPM board on top of the DE dust. You don't need a heavy layer. I've also found that it kills wax moths. my guess is mites would meet their demise as well, but I can't see any in the dust so far.
> 
> DE on the ground has to be reapplied each time it rains. I reapply the DE on the IPM board about every 3 weeks.


I have mulch under my hives and I put DE into it. I do not replenish it when it rains and it seems to keep working. I have been told that it doesn't bother the bees only soft bodied creatures like snails or those that have hard carapaces like SHBs. I also use the oil trays and find that I rarely see a SHB.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If you want to build a screened bottom board that has a tray beneath it, Beesource member _Rusty Hills Farm_ has some directions/photos on his site:

http://rustysbees.com/ipm.html


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

here are some pictures of the bottom board that comes with the kit from Beeline.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Oops, I just realized that this is the TBH forum, and my reference in post #4 to Rusty's plans are not particularly relevant for a TBH. Sorry about that.


Post #14 of this October 2014 thread has a photo and description of a TBH with a screened/solid bottom with a tray:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...5-Package-Bees-for-sale&p=1198100#post1198100


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## BobRagsdale (Nov 23, 2014)

I tried the screened bottom board with a tray below it but stopped using them because they quickly became a breeding ground for wax moths.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

BobRagsdale said:


> I tried the screened bottom board with a tray below it but stopped using them because they quickly became a breeding ground for wax moths.


If you put a thin layer of diatomaceous earth on the bottom board, the wax moths roll in it and die.


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## PHudson (Sep 27, 2014)

I just did some modifications on my TBH and added a screened bottom with a pull out tray / board underneath that. Wasn't very hard to do. Here is the sketchup pic.


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