# screened bottom board and winter



## Drone On (Mar 19, 2005)

Greetings, this is my first winter using screened bottom boards and I am uncertain whether to keep the inserts in place all winter or just during a cold snap? I know that ventilation is important and as I live in the mild Pacific Northwest with high winter humidity maybe it would be better to keep the bottom boards open. Our day time temperatures are usually in the forties. Thanks in advance for any info.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I put mine in. You have much milder climate there. You might be able to leave them open.


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

I leave mine open in upstate New York. I only put a cafeteria tray in about 3 inches below with about 1 inch air gap around all sides.


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

I just got back from Toronto on vacation. In fact I had to spend an extra day in Canada due to the border being closed due to snow in Buffalo NY. I spoke with a fellow beekeeper, and supplier at F.W. Jones Beekeeping Supplies, up in Toronto that told me he wintered his bees on an open screened bottom. I was shocked, and had wondered about leaving them open here in NC, and have no worries now.


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

I leave mine in all year until the daytime highs start reaching 80 degrees. It probably isn't necessary, but I don't think that it hurts either.

I use telescoping covers, so I put a small block of wood on the back of the inner cover to allow for better air circulation. If I notice moisture on the cover, I put on a bigger block. I also make my own telescoping covers so that they are 2" longer than the hive body. With the block (1/4" - 1/2") I get good air flow.

The inserts are not air tight so they still allow for more air flow than solid bottom boards.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

>up in Toronto that told me he wintered his bees on an open screened bottom.

If we had snow covering our hives all winter, (at least the bottoms), I'd leave them out too. 

But we don't, so I won't.

When the night time temps get down to 50, in they go.


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

I also know of a beekeeper in WV that uses screened bottoms all winter with no problem.


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

The reason that I leave my inserts in the SBB until the temps hit the 80's is not because I think that the bees might die (where I live).

I think (but have absolutely no proof) that they can raise more brood per adult bee with them in when the temps are low and it is windy (early in the spring).

I also think (but have absolutely no proof) that the insert doesn't hurt anything and the only reason to remove it is so they don't need to use adult bees to cool the hive instead of foraging.


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

We have done both. However, as we do not have strong winter winds and our hives are in a sheltered position we keep them open. Another concern would be in my opinion, is that if there is a lot of humidity, the open screen boards will aid in ventilation.


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

I would like to see a post from someone in a northern climate that had done both, and compared the success or failure. One other comparison that I would like to see is brood production in the early spring, Does an open bottom increase brood? Does the addition of the slatted rack and the screened board allow for brood all the way to the bottom of the frame? 

Lots of questions. I intend on using the screened board, slatted rack combination come spring.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

I ran half closed and half open over two winters. Both groups were located in the same yards and were more or less randombly placed.

The first winter there didn't really seem to be any significant differences between the two groups. However, the 2nd winter there were far more losses in the open bottom half. It was less significant a differenct (but still noticeable) in the yards located in and besides a woods. It was a much windier winter so my guess is that it ended up being too much for the unprotected hives.

So now I always close the hives over the winter just to be on the safe side. 

-Tim


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## Ron Young (Aug 16, 2006)

Do you use slatted racks to add a thermal barrier below the brood box? I am curious as to the usefullness of the slatted rack in this fashion? Also, does it aid in brood production as indicated in the supply cat.?


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## Dwight (May 18, 2005)

I read somewhere (Maybe in this forum or maybe in Bee Culture magazine) that Varroa mites do better in cool temperatures. Therefore I keep the inserts in most of the time. I only take them out when it is hot (which doesn't happen often aorund here) or when there is a nectar flow on I open them part way to provide better ventilation.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

A lot of books (pre SBB) describe "pushing hives together on a hive stand" to "create a dead air space". 

Are these books giving advice only to "northern" beekeepers?

Do wild bees build "open" nest?


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## TehachapiGal (Mar 5, 2015)

Michael Bush said:


> I put mine in. You have much milder climate there. You might be able to leave them open.


Thank you Michael Bush. I live near Tehachapi, CA. It's getting mighty cold here, down into the 20s and heavy winds. I was hesitating to put the insert back into the slot until I read your post.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

From Texas....... I left mine on last year. I had the plastic on the underside of the screen. Temp lowest last year was I think 25 degrees the lowest we had. I changed out the bottom screens to beetle traps that had a tray in them custom made with plastic trays I fabricated. I put slots in the wood underside where the trays slide in. Turned out pretty SNAZZY. I only saw about 5 beetles this year as it was very rainy.


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

I leave mine in most of the time, If there is excessive bearding in the summer I might remove them. However I am slowly going back to solid bottoms for the following reasons 1 when those winter gales really blow they can suck out the heat of the hive making it harder for the cluster to keep warm 2 I re queen my hives every spring with queen cells and on a number of occasions had the returning queen take up residence below the screen and what a mess that makes.
Johno


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