# Screen Bottom Boards



## BoroBees (Jan 1, 2015)

I have been reading a lot about screen bottom boards, and there seems to be conflicting research on the matter. Do most of you use sbbs, or are the advantages overblown now? Not getting at anything, just confused.


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## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

We are using them, I just noticed, once installed, the bees were not hanging out spending energy fanning. Hives full sun. 
We had large healthy new hives over summer, hopefully they are still doing well.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I think their usefullness depends, in part, on climate, so keep that in mind.

I run with both solid and screen bottom boards in place, year round. I'm in a very cold climate (Z5-Z4)

One supposed use has, in my own exerience, not panned out: using them for varroa _control_ on the theory that mites would fall through and not be able to climb back into the hive. Although a certain number of mites do fall through (that's what makes sticky-boarding as a mite _monitoring_ method work) the 
number of hapless mite that fall is nowhere near enough to affect mite population dynamics. Not even close!

That being said I would never run the hives w/o the SBB since I continually use sticky boards to monitor what falls out of the hive and down onto the sticky boards. I can see lots more than just mites. But I would not care to have only SBB in place in my cold climate. I keep the access slot for the board always closed off with a wooden cover. In warm weather I just have the wooden piece, but in late fall I replace it with a weatherstripped version that seals it up quite tightly.

I manage potential overheating issues by keeping my tele covers insulated and quilt boxes (without filling in warm weather, but still place) overhead all year round. But since I am in northern NY, and although I do have days in the upper 90s during most summers, I don't have as much heat stress as my nights generally cool off well. And my hives are placed so that the low-angled, late afternoon sun during the hottest part of the year is blocked by trees.

Enj.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

I run Solid Bottom Boards all the way. I see the queens lay eggs all the way to the bottom of the frames and front to back. The bees naturally do what they need to to control heat/humidity in the hives. I'm not saying they don't beard, because they do at times just like they do in the wild bee trees. My point being i try to run the hives like a huge bee tree and it works for me. 
Some folks believe heavily in the screened bottom boards and do well with them, but I think if you already have the solid type the expense of purchasing new screened versions isn't worth the little you will get from them. JMHO


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## BoroBees (Jan 1, 2015)

Thanks for the answers, everyone. It is exactly consistent with what I have bee reading.


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

I run modified sbbs with oil pans because of SHBs. Did the same when I was in Florida with equally good results. Because my IPM bottoms have solid bottoms, there are no light problems or draft problems. In the heat of summer if they start to beard, I open the oil pan access panel in the back of the board and that does help. I keep my hives in full sun.

HTH


Rusty


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## BoroBees (Jan 1, 2015)

What type of pan? I like that concept.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

I've tried them and have no use for them. As equipment is returned from the field any sbb's are replaced with solid bottoms. I cannot see any significant difference in mite loads. I find sticky sheet mite drops to be the least accurate reflection of infestations...to the point of being meaningless. They provide convenient entrance and exits for shb. My hives beard up in the heat of summer. I don't see that as a problem. I'm somewhat convinced that the lack of summertime beards on sbb hives may not be a good sign.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

I use sbb. I have solid bottoms on some but like the ease of varroa checking by simply sliding out the tray. I leave the trays in most of the time except for a couple of months high summer. I forgot to put a couple back in over winter 2013 and the bees were just fine.


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## scorpionmain (Apr 17, 2012)

I gave up on screened in favor of solids.

Seemed the Queens didn't want to move down into the bottom box.
I am guessing they didn't like the light. 

Bees would get stuck under the hive.

Had a kill with the use of the oil tray.

I am over them.


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

I started with screened bottoms and still have some. I've switched to solid bottoms. I don't see that the screened ones accomplish anything in the mite department, and I wonder if they actually make it harder for bees to control the temperature. (If I were running an evaporative cooler to cool my house, I'd close the windows myself.) 

A lot of people swear that ventilation is important, but I don't see any real evidence that is the case. The Bee Informed Survey info seems to indicate that using screened bottoms (or not) has no effect on the survival rate for hives over a year. Could be there is more to it, and I'd like to see a more detailed analysis of the data. Specifically, I would like to see a comparison of four categories: (1) use of SBB and no treatments; (2) use of SBB but with known effective treatments (e.g. thymol or amitraz products); (3) no use of SBB and no treatments; and (4) no use of SBB but with known effective treatments. The reason I'd like to see that analysis is that the Bee Informed data indicates that people who use thymol/amitraz also lose about 15% fewer hives on an annual basis. I wonder if the people using solid bottoms also treat, which might skew the data on solid bottom board use. In other words, it could be that SBB are helping but that the effect gets cancelled out by the use of treatments, which also appear to help survivability.

Sort of off-topic thought: While I'm listing things I'd like to see from the Bee Informed people, I'd also like a more detailed analysis and info. about the non-treatment beekeepers, including how long they have been treatment-free and whether they have a queen breeding program. I wonder if the treatment-free beekeepers have a better record compared to treaters if experience and queen breeding programs are added to the equation. I suspect that would be the case.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I also bought a lot of SBB and now am buying nothing but solid. I saw no significant difference in Varroa. I also like the solid because I use them as feeders. I do think the SBB is nice from a Varroa monitoring point of view, but not enough to be worth it to me. On the other hand if you are treating, it gives you a good way to measure the efficacy of the treatment as well as improving the efficacy because the mites that fall because of the treatment and then survive, can't climb back up and fall out on the ground and die instead. This probably buys some time as far as breeding resistant mites.


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

SBBs are useful for monitoring colonies but here in TN I find it way to humid in winter and early spring to run them open. I now only use them for select few colonies. I would generally say they are way to expensive for the small timely benefits received.


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

Like Scorpionmain it seemed the bees stayed as far away from the sbb as possible and would not work the bottom box. I never left the bottoms of them open but it made no difference. It is nice to see when the varroa start multiplying but I know that is happening even without the sbb. The temperatures here are so cool in the summer that the extra ventilation is not needed anyways.


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## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

My md bees worked our bottom box without issues with the sbb.


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## CajunBee (May 15, 2013)

I have both and have not seen any difference. Two separate yards and the strongest hive in one is on SBB, strongest hive in the other is on solid.


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## BoroBees (Jan 1, 2015)

CajunBee said:


> I have both and have not seen any difference. Two separate yards and the strongest hive in one is on SBB, strongest hive in the other is on solid.


Cajunbee, are you suggesting that bees aren't conforming to our theories?


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

They are a social creature mainly consistenting of females. They defy our theories. That is why we love and are addicted to these amazing insects.


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## awebber96 (May 28, 2012)

There are two advantages to SBB that I like that no one ever seems to mention. I love having them in the winter because I can pull the tray and see from the debris (1) where the bees are in the hive, (2) whether they are still alive (no debris means likely dead-out), (3) whether they are on honey stores or fondant (when they are on the fondant, I find sugar crystals not cappings dust). This way, I have some idea of what's happening in the hives even when it's below zero. 

Finally, if snow or dead bees clog the reduced winter entrance for a few days, I never worry about ventilation.


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## TPalmer (Jun 11, 2012)

BoroBees said:


> What type of pan? I like that concept.


Here is a type of pan that I made using a political sign with diatomaceous earth in it for SHB.


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

BoroBees said:


> What type of pan? I like that concept.


I use a cheap ol aluminum foil roasting pan--the kind with the turkey on the label. When they get nasty, I toss them and start a new one.

HTH

Rusty


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## thehackleguy (Jul 29, 2014)

TPalmer said:


> Here is a type of pan that I made using a political sign with diatomaceous earth in it for SHB.


AWESOME! :thumbsup:


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

Whenever I started keeping bees 3 years ago I used the solid bottoms but have since moved over to almost exclusively SBB. I've found that bearding isn't quite as 'bad' with full SBB and have to attribute that to the fact that there is some additional 'air' in the hives. I also haven't found any issues with the queens laying fully down on the frames. Here in SC the humidity can get pretty high from mid summer into fall and whenever it's really bad - I crack the top a little to give them some "A/C".

I've read quite a few posts and articles and opinions on both but can't really see any hive differences between the 2. I did some temp monitoring on a few and found the ones with the SBB to be a little cooler - so coupled with the humidity, I've stayed with that. I also have the base of my SBB about 20" off the ground and use Diamiatious Earth under them, as well as 'natural' treatments of nematodes to help control the SHB in my area.

Love the idea of the political board trick though ..

There is an added expense though to using SBB and some wood waste.


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

I started out with two packages 2013. Both Italians. One hive had the GreenBeehives.com IPK bottom board(oil pan with #6 screen closed). The other was a regular SBB. Both hives on same stand. The hive with SBB abscounded when queen emerged. Did she see day light and bolt? 
I have four hives now with the GreenBeehives bottom boards. I believe also the #6 screen size makes a difference on shb too. I use cooking oil but will switch to mineral oil and strain next year. There are also no ledges under screen for shb to hide on. Also closed to day light. Works very well for me. 
I do have one hive with with a regular solid bottom board. I like it(cheaper) but use beetle blaster traps and a Fatbeeman sign material trap stapled to bottom.
Be careful using sbb's when releasing young or flyable queens with them. I found a little bit of info about the experience I had on abscounding. I also heard the bees bouncing off the screen on the SBB hive when I had them four days.


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

I forgot to add I do treat for mites.


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## Tommy Hodge (Jun 4, 2013)

I bought 3 Freeman screen bottom boards this winter and will give them a try this spring. I like Rusty's idea using aluminum foil pans for the rest of my hives...duplicating SBB's with Freeman type bottoms boards can get expensive.

Observation: All six of my hives are on SBB's and all have the inserts in for winter with the exception of one hive. The 5 with the inserts all have wet/damp covers. The one with without the insert (open below) has a top cover that is bone dry....all 6 hives are alive and well as of yesterday. We had a warm day and there were plenty of cleansing flights going on including the hive with open SBB...

Michael Palmer, I was praying for a warm day for cleansing flights here in East TN...it had been about 3 weeks or so...I'm sure your girls are busting at the seems too...Thanksgiving seems like a long time ago...!


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

If you intend to practice integrated pest management IPM with powdered sugar, screened bottom boards are necessary. 
We have over 30 SBB, the only place I don't use them is on my swarm trap/bait hives.


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

Just checked my 8 hives this afternoon and all are doing well. All have SBB and I never 'closed' them up for the winter. Granted we don't get as cold as some of the other readers here, bur we have had about 6 nights below 32, a few in the teens, and a couple of weeks with high's in the mid 30's. I think that the bees do well, if they have enough winter food - and a good number of bees going into winter. I've quit using the plastic tops though, as I had trouble with condensation from them last year. I guess I'm strange or cheap, but I house (summer and winter) my hives w/o inner covers, and about 1/2 of them have migratory tops instead of traditional tops. I found also that due to some of the locations of my hives, darker tops do better for those hives in more wooded area's that shiny tops.


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## tommysnare (Jan 30, 2013)

We are cheap. We run all of our hives with sbb's we made in the shop....with no plans. We do not. have future ideas of oil pans,sticky boards or other stuff. When winter gets almost in...I go out and wrap feed bags from one side to the other..around the bottom of the hive. Closing off the sbb. Use push pins to pin them in. Then move on to 3 inch ventilated riser boxes on top,newspaper,and a good pile of dry sugar. Put the lid on and they are all mountain capped for winter. Done it this way for 3 years now Nd the only hives I've lost on our home apiary are the hives we were worried about already. Not saying I'm a genius....but this method sure serves us well. We never have had serious mite or shb issues....but then again ...we don't really do counts or anything. We stand by the one truth which is that good genetics from ur own bees and strooooooong colonies can fight off just about anything.

Shalom


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