# If bee space is 3/8" , why is the bottom board space 3/4" ??



## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

The 3/4 side is supposed to be for winter. Dead bees on the bottom board are less likely to trap bees with the bigger space.


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## beestudent (Jun 10, 2015)

can't you leave it at 3/4" year round? I use that side and have seen no problems whatsoever.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

That's one theory, Dean. Or did I miss something in the old literature that states this? Another is to use it in just the opposite way, 3/4 in summer and 3/8 in winter. 3/4 for summer to give plenty of space for the foraging activity and ventilation. There is no right or wrong way. I keep mine at the 3/8 size year around.


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## beestudent (Jun 10, 2015)

I use the 3/4 side and if it needs to be reduced I just put an entrance reducer in


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

From "The Beekeeper's Handbook":


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## beestudent (Jun 10, 2015)

that works... but I think it would be good to have the extra space in winter time


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

Mine are 3/8" year round also


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

All of ours are 1/2"


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

3/4 will let mice in fall and winter 3/8 will not.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

I use 3/4" because it allows me to use a 3/4" piece of wood cut to the appropriate entrance reducer opening based on the temperature/season. Which by the way is a 3/8" height opening. Another positive for 3/4" is if you an Oxalic Acid Vaporizer you will need a 3/4" opening. Just following the advice of the teachers.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

Barry Digman said:


> From "The Beekeeper's Handbook":


I've been wanting to correct this, and as I'm assembling some things for a talk, I thought I'd post it here at the same time.

This is a common 'misconception', the that isn't the first book to get it exactly opposite. It should be noted that bees can be maintained successfully almost anywhere with either end up any time of the year.

It has become common practice (and wisdom) that the deep side is for summer and the shallow side is for winter. I don't discount that people do this, that people advocate this, and that people claim that this was the original design.

But the reversible bottom board was invented (or at least brought into popularity) by Miller, here is what Root has to say in ABC in 1890 (when it was a current 'innovation' rather than something that was just the standard):


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I've never flipped mine from the 3/4" side. Makes cutting entrance reducers much easier... and using OAV much easier.


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

Make mine all 3/4 inch

Provides a bit more ventilation in summer

Can insert OA vaporizer

Entrance reducers are all one thickness

In winter my bottom entrance is 3/8 ply wood on top of 3/8 plywood. Notch is 3/8 high and on top side, facing up. This way one can have a layer of dead bees on the bottom board and still not block the bottom entrance. Can also run notch up in a one piece entrance reducer.


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## DrJeseuss (May 28, 2015)

deknow said:


> But the reversible bottom board was invented (or at least brought into popularity) by Miller, here is what Root has to say in ABC in 1890 (when it was a current 'innovation' rather than something that was just the standard):
> View attachment 20529


This shows a board with 3/8" or 2"... this isn't the same design being discussed here... and with the large 2" side, I'd think it would function more akin to a slat rack, providing some air gap to move the brood frames up away from the entrance. In any case, I have built all my equipment, and have used 3/4" across the board. The bees have never built burr down here, or extended frames to the bottom. As others have noted, 2/3" makes for easy reducers, homemade boardman feeders and the like.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

The basement & attic space don't count for the bee space rules.


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## delta valley farms (Aug 11, 2015)

HarryVanderpool said:


> All of ours are 1/2"



I agree with Harry 1/2" solves theproblem


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

I guess I don't really recognize that there is a 'problem' ...as very few actual problems occur because of the choice between 3/8, 3/4, or 1/2. I make mine about 3/8 and on many of them both the front and back is open.

I was merely trying to clarify the thinking behind the design, and acknowledge that the usage has always been all over the place.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

I make mine at 1/2 like Harry. For the oxalic vaporizer I cut a wedge of wood and push it in and raise up the extra I need. I dont get alot of extra comb built on the bottom of the frames with 1/2 inch riser. then I can use 3/4 inch entrance reducers. But, if you go 3/4 use 1inch entrance reducers.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

photobiker said:


> I use 3/4" because it allows me to use a 3/4" piece of wood cut to the appropriate entrance reducer opening based on the temperature/season. Which by the way is a 3/8" height opening. Another positive for 3/4" is if you an Oxalic Acid Vaporizer you will need a 3/4" opening. Just following the advice of the teachers.


Thats the reason I have changed over to all 3/4"


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## j.kuder (Dec 5, 2010)

in other words just make what suits you what ever your reasons what ever works for you


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## Frgrasso (Dec 18, 2014)

I'll just stay with the 3/4" spacing , I haven't 
Had any trouble with it and in the winter I 
Find myself cleaning piles of debris and dead 
Bees out of the bottom board area , if it was 
Smaller then 3/4" they wouldn't have any 
Ventilation if it wasn't keep free of debris


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Might even look at the old plans for slanted bottom boards. Kind of extending the landing board into the hive sort of thing. From what I saw in researching it the bees will build down to as low as they feel the need to and never burr comb up the entrance. Tapering the sides and all the extra work must not be worth the effort or "busterbee" would be selling them.


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## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

Wouldn't it be right that with 3/4, the bees will have to fly up to the frames. With 3/8, they can crawl up saving some energy.


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## DrJeseuss (May 28, 2015)

In my hives, they're quite content to crawl on each other to get around as needed. I use slat racks, which give an even larger space off the bottom board. They tend to crawl up each other or the sides/back and go onto the slats from there, then going where they want. As others have said, they do just fine in hollow trees, no bottom boards there... some without a bottom entrance at all, and carrying the dead and debris up and out a top entrance. It's amazing how adaptable the bees really are... and how much we feel the need to get things just right down to 1/8ths or even 1/16ths of an inch for them. I do it too, just funny to me when I then see them thriving in a gas tank, chimney, mailbox, or otherwise non-bee spaced enclosure. As said above, the attic and basement don't really matter as much.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

jwcarlson said:


> I've never flipped mine from the 3/4" side. Makes cutting entrance reducers much easier... and using OAV much easier.


+1 on the OAV


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Best reason yet for the 3/4 inch is so the vapor treatment gizmo can be easily slid into the hive. 

Some just leave the dead inside the tree. I have seen some amazing composted piles in the few bee trees I have messed with. And there were pseudo-scorpions in two of them as well, earwigs in one.


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

I make my own SBB and the entrance is 13/16. I use a screen entrance reducer in Summer and a wood one in Winter. Don't know if it's the entire reason, but my brood pattern goes down to the bottom of the frame.


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