🔵Choosing the BEST bottom board for your bees!

Should you buy screened or solid bottom boards? Here we breakdown the pros and the cons of each and we leave it up to you for you to decide!

FTC Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. All opinions are genuinely my own. This description contains an Amazon affiliate link and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my Amazon links. It doesn't cost you any extra. Thank you for your continued support to keep Tennessee's Bees going!

#Beekeeping #Beekeeper #Honeybee

[kamonreynolds]

Our goal is not to prove which one is better or worse. They both have advantages. My experience is that screened bottoms are not for me unless I am data gathering. There are reasons most professionals use solids. However, some of those reasons are cost and strength which don't apply to smaller scale beekeeping as much. Keep in mind there are ways to retrofit screened bottom boards to essentially give them the capability to be a solid bottom and give the beekeeper the best of both boards. I have not found the screens to reduce the Varroa population. Perhaps that is a test that we can do in the future. I don't care about being right or being wrong I just want to do what keeps my bees as healthy as possible and if that is me having to get on here down the road and say "I was wrong they do help with varroa" I am more than willing to do that.

[terryholladay]

I use the screen bottom boards. I live in eastern Iowa. I place a piece of plywood under the screen and use 2 screws to secure it in October and remove it in May. This gives me good ventilation during summer and the warmth in the winter.

[Hilmerssonsbiodling]

Hi Kamon
A lot of beekeepers in Sweden use one ventilated bottom board and no top ventilation on the hive.
This bottom ventilation is always open for air to come in. In the regions with a lot of snow, the hive can be covered with snow and the bees still can get air thru the screened bottom board (there will be an airpocket under the hive that breath thru the snow).
Best regards Roger

[JCsBees]

Hmmmm... Central Ohio beekeeper here and I swear by my screened bottoms. Run them year round. Never noticed any problems with the queen not laying in bottom box due to light. Personally, I don't think bees have a problem dealing with cold air either, it's moisture that is the killer over winter. Some interesting points in this video.

[terryholladay]

I use the screen boards. I like how cappings fall out and I don't have as much problems with wax moths. This year i removed the catch board and screwed a piece of plywood under the screen to help with keeping cold weather out. So far i like this. Just remove a screw from front and back to remove my winter panel. The best of both designs.

[ronhaymore]

I use solid bottom boards, but have an added whistle. I use 2x4 rails and a 3/4" floor. I take a hole saw to cut hole towards the back of the bottom board the size of a large plastic mason jar lid. Place 1/8 hardware cloth over the hole on top of the board. Fill mason jar cap 1/2 full with mineral oil and insert into hole from the underside of the bottom board. There is a small piece of wood added to the cap to use as a handle. I have a pivot arm to slide over to hold cap in place. The bees chase hive bettles into oil and they die. You can check traps without opening the hive to see how many died beetles, change oil or can remove for extra ventilation.

[christopherburdick]

Thank you. A question was answered and you bring priceless value to all your videos. I appreciate you and your wife. I’ll keep tuning in

[beasbeesrva]

Kamon, I use the SBB here in Richmond on all 24 of my hives. Inserts go in when temps drop to 40°F and stay in until mid April. Comment about moisture is right on target as any rain that comes in through the bottom entrance does not stay in the hive. Only drawback I have found so far is that returning mated queens do not always make it back into the hive and instead set up shop under the hive on the screen. Had it happen to two hives this past year, lost one of them and had to requeen the other. All the hives are 24" off the ground and I have not noticed any real problems with the brood nest not extending to within two or three cells from the bottom bar. I am going to try leaving the insert in on the nucs this spring to see if it makes a difference in build up. Thanks for the videos. You provide much better information than many of the other guys with 10k+ subs.

JWP

[jonhaskell]

Kamon, When I'm making up solid bottom boards, I build them "reversible". One side has the standard 3/4" spacing, and the other side has that same 3/4" spacing along with the center divider strip for the double nuc box. I extend the strip out even to the outside edge of the double nuc box.
I was moving my bees from the double nuc today. I got one side transferred, and then just flipped the bottom board and set down a single deep in it.
It's nice to have equipment that can multitask!

[bmellis]

Thanks Kamon, my philosophy is screened bottom board in summer and hard bottom board in winter to minimize draft.

[williamditta]

Once again quality and informative, hands on information. Your opinionated views are a necessary part of your presentation. Thanks

[OklahomaBeekeeper]

I went to solid bottoms after having more than one queen returning from mating on the bottom of the screen, not knowing how to get back in.
I believe that I've had less robbing since I went to solid bottoms also.

[DstickSpearfishing]

Well done Kamon, Hopefully Folks will understand this info should be used and applied to the region you have bees in. Nicely explained.

[jonathanbessette]

Here in Quebec, Canada, many of us use screen bottom board ( apinovar bottom board was created here ) .
I don’t really like them better than solid one . In fact I prefer solid .
I just wanted to say that in the winter time here many of the beekeeper use screen bottom without the bottom drawer . It’s suppose to increase aeration in the hive to take away humidity .
The also wrap the hive with styrofoam and flexfoil bubble wrap and an upper entrance .
Maybe the snow help to keep away the draft and provide more insulation depends on hiw high your hive stand is.
Like your video .
Have a nice season

[badassbees]

In my opinion the Only thing a SBB is good for is Great Ventilation in Summer, BUT I have noticed that Nucs with screened bottom Always build up slower in Spring than Solid bottoms .I don't think SBB do squat for Varroa either, I'm with you on that.Also, SBB let moisture in if they too close to the ground, because it thaws outta ground right into the Hive.

[framcesmoore]

Ha another great video, I like screen my self and I always use them hope u had a wonderful Christmas. keep the videos coming God Bless and have a wonderful day

[temijinkahn]

I’m in western North Carolina on the border with South Carolina. I prefer the screened board for ventilation. The insert is plenty in the winter as it allows some ventilation in to pull out moisture in winter but not enough to harm the colony’s ability to stay warm in winter. Summer is where the screened board shines in my opinion as it helps the bees keep cool. I’ve had an inside wall of the brood box covered in bees fanning to pump the heat out the bottom through the screen during a hot spell.

Another advantage of the insert is that you can adjust the size of the opening. Pull it all the way out or just pull it out an inch. Solid boards just don’t give me as many options as a screened board.

[michaelduncan]

I use both, screen on top of solid. close up the lower to reduce drafts, open for ventilation. Western WA

[FloryJohann]

Thank you very much for the hardware video. Been looking for a video like that. Thank you for the pros and cons that was presented.


I never had a screened bottom board and I like the solid bottom board as I can tell..
The droppings on the bottom board tells me stories what the bees or hive have done and also serves as a safety zone.
It is true that wax dropping and pollen droppings may create a breeding ground for beetles and waxmoth as I had them before at the bottom board, but at the sane time it prevented those bugs to move up into the frames and from destroying the frames so far between my checkups.

I read a article where only 10 % of mites fall thru a screen board when treating with powder sugar but a whole lot more of open brood will die when using powder sugar..
We live on anthill, so a screened bottom board would be a bad idea, we have ants of all kinds of different sizes to different colors and patterns of colors.

[massachusettsprepper]

I have a combination of both screened bottom boards and solid bottom boards. I have been moving away from the screen bottom boards just because of where I live. In Northwestern Massachusetts we do have a cold winter but not as cold as up in northern Canada. But what I have seen over the last four years is that my hives with the solid bottom boards seem to build up a little bit faster in the spring than the ones with the screen bottom boards. But I have not done any hard-core scientific take data gathering. That's just from my observations. Another excellent video as always. And thanks for sharing.