# Landing board angle



## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

Anyone know the landing board angle on the freeman beetle traps .


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## Rusty Hills Farm (Mar 24, 2010)

I didn't think there was any. I know my home-built versions don't have any.

HTH

Rusty


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## Santa Caras (Aug 14, 2013)

Whatever you want. Dont think the bees care. Watching, they rarely use it. The really good ones hit the entrance hole and dont even touch the landing area. I just use mine more for a signage where I have a diffrent pattern painted on each one. More like a roadsign that says "Welcome Home".


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

I have used 45 degrees. That way one cut for both sides. 
David


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

Well here's what they looking like . Cut out 27 of them to day got 15 of them to where there the way in the pic . Still got to put the screen and 3/4 x 3/4 on that and cut a piece of panel for the bottom since I added a groove to put a solid board on the bottom of the tray also .


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)




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## sandesoils (Jul 11, 2008)

Just beautiful work! 
I invent and build much of my equipment. Been working on a design for these all in one bottom board bases for long langs. 
I too am incorporating a removable screen and b board by cutting kerfs/dado into 1 X 4 side rails. 
Now looking at yours, I'm trying to figure out why/how you have the inside entrance on an angle up to where the flat portion has the screen. 
Is that angled board to give support to the landing board and frame, and maybe stop congestion?
Also really like the tray idea. What are they from, and can they be purchased? 
Thank you! and great pics.
- Sande


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## challenger (May 27, 2009)

Waste of wood, time and money IMO. I feel like it is just more work for the bees having a bottom with an entrance ramp. It gives intruders a place to land as well. The bees spend a lot of time polishing the landing boards if you watch closely. 
I think it is a way we like to humanize our bees. Providing a comfy landing board so they can ease into the hive makes no sense to me. That being said all my bottom boards have these. This is because I built them when I thought it was the way everyone made bottoms. Commercial beekeepers dont use them. Hives other than ours don't have them either.
I'm not being critical because everyone should do what they please so long as it doesn't destroy the bees IMO.
If you like them use them. If I was making new bottoms I would delete this part for sure and will do so in the future.


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

sandesoils said:


> Just beautiful work!
> I invent and build much of my equipment. Been working on a design for these all in one bottom board bases for long langs.
> I too am incorporating a removable screen and b board by cutting kerfs/dado into 1 X 4 side rails.
> Now looking at yours, I'm trying to figure out why/how you have the inside entrance on an angle up to where the flat portion has the screen.
> ...


I angled it so rain would run off instead in to the hive and in the pan . Real easy to cut the angle on a table saw .
And the tray is the freeman beetle trap tray and yes they can be bought . At > http://www.eheartwood.com/bee-boxes

Here's the link to the instructions to the bottom I built minus the wide angled board that would be on you hive stand that I made on to the bottom board or the second groove to add a solid piece under the tray . 
http://freemanbeetletrap.com/build_it_yourself


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

challenger said:


> Waste of wood, time and money IMO. I feel like it is just more work for the bees having a bottom with an entrance ramp. It gives intruders a place to land as well. The bees spend a lot of time polishing the landing boards if you watch closely.
> I think it is a way we like to humanize our bees. Providing a comfy landing board so they can ease into the hive makes no sense to me. That being said all my bottom boards have these. This is because I built them when I thought it was the way everyone made bottoms. Commercial beekeepers dont use them. Hives other than ours don't have them either.
> I'm not being critical because everyone should do what they please so long as it doesn't destroy the bees IMO.
> If you like them use them. If I was making new bottoms I would delete this part for sure and will do so in the future.


And yes they may not need it but I have noticed a lot are so loaded down that they just barely hit the wide angled board . So if it wasn't there they would hit the ground under the hive . 
I feel its a thing to help when there loaded down it a little longer landing strip so they don't crash under the hive . It is used as I watch it being used . So it has to help . That's why I added it instead of just building the 100% freeman bottom . 
And far as time it takes very little to add like less than 5 mins and money like 10 cents worth of wood .


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## sandesoils (Jul 11, 2008)

Thank you Fordman for your help. 
And my response to challenger: From a biologist and observer standpoint, these wonderful creatures surely do not need our 'help', but in my humble opinion they deserve an easier landing spot when under a heavy load. 
It's the least we can do to offer a reprieve for their brutally hard, thankless, short life and all they provide for us. 
Plus, we get to see them in all their glory for a bit longer. - Sande


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## F6Hawk (Mar 31, 2014)

I don't see a landing as needed at all. In wild hives, they are able to hit and land near holes from 1" to 5" on a vertical surface with no problem. They just flew for up to two miles loaded down, I doubt a coupla less inches make a difference to a bee. In a coupla tree hives I observe, the bees land inside the holes on about 1/2" or less of wood surface. I think they would do just fine on a hive body that had the bottom board cut flush to the front.

But your's certainly show the craftsmanship you put into them. Something to be proud of, for sure!


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## USMCEOD (Jan 5, 2014)

I likem.. I make mine similar and will have to look into the tray thing. Good work, if it's needed or not, doesn't matter to anybody else but you. To each, his own...


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

USMCEOD said:


> I likem.. I make mine similar and will have to look into the tray thing. Good work, if it's needed or not, doesn't matter to anybody else but you. To each, his own...


Yap its about caring and helping the bees all we can .


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I've got a vented Freeman beetle trap (store-bought, not home-made) sitting right beside me. The landing board on mine is 16 degrees from horizontal.


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

Little update . With the heavy rain we had yesterday the pans flooded with water . I didn't have any thing in the pans as I was waiting to see if they would flood . 
I have my hive stands at a slight pitch Forward . 
So was thinking a porch roof maybe out of some flashing how far out not a 100% sure and how high from the bottom not sure either any thoughts ??


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

I've got one hive with an awning on it. Simple to make as the flashing will stay in the from you bend it, so a ninety-degree bend and some frame nails and you're done. I've got some pictures of mine at the house, I'll post one later if you'd like to see it. One thing it will interfere with is the bees bearding on the front of the hive, but other than that it helps with rain blowing in the oil tray (not 100% cure, but close). I think the best cure for rain intrusion is to have a gap between the inside edge of the porch and the edge of the oil tray...that way the rain water can fall to the ground beneath the hive.

Ed


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

Intheswamp said:


> I've got one hive with an awning on it. Simple to make as the flashing will stay in the from you bend it, so a ninety-degree bend and some frame nails and you're done. I've got some pictures of mine at the house, I'll post one later if you'd like to see it. One thing it will interfere with is the bees bearding on the front of the hive, but other than that it helps with rain blowing in the oil tray (not 100% cure, but close). I think the best cure for rain intrusion is to have a gap between the inside edge of the porch and the edge of the oil tray...that way the rain water can fall to the ground beneath the hive.
> 
> Ed


A pic would be great . How high from the hive opening and how far out from the hive is it . And ya the gap may work but it really flooded here u could Canoe in the ditches . So a little extra would have helped I'm sure . 
And ya I thought about the bearding but though they would just go around and above it .


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Here ya go. It's simple and utilitarian. I corners were sharp so I bent them down...didn't want to be bleeding in the beeyard!  Three frame nails hold it on just fine. I also made it longer than the hives are wide...figured this would help with the wind blown rain coming from the sides. I think the bees like the shade, but who knows?

Ed


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## 78-79fordman (Mar 23, 2014)

Intheswamp said:


> Here ya go. It's simple and utilitarian. I corners were sharp so I bent them down...didn't want to be bleeding in the beeyard!  Three frame nails hold it on just fine. I also made it longer than the hives are wide...figured this would help with the wind blown rain coming from the sides. I think the bees like the shade, but who knows?
> 
> Ed


Thanks man that's just what I was think'n .


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

No problem, glad to help.

Ed


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