Beekeeping | Are Screen Bottom Boards Worth it Or Worthless? Ep.2

Beekeeping is so difficult to figure out especially in trying to figure out all the different types of hives and equipment. Today, in episode #2 we will take a look at the difference between a screen bottom board and a solid bottom board. Is a screen bottom board worth it or worthless?

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[preacherkjv]

We make our own bottom boards, we make them screened, and add slides to accept a cookie sheet pan which is filled with saw dust when installed for winter, the saw dust serves 2 purposes, 1 it creates a somewhat solid bottom to keep the cold out, 2 it absorbs mositer.

Thanks David for the veidos, I took your complete bee keeping courses and they are so educational that I tell everyone who is looking to start keeping bees to take them before they start.

[deedeeswenson]

I am a second year beekeeper in VT and have spent a lot of time watching your videos . I love the information you give…also admit that there are many different opinions on the best way of keeping! I’ve recommended your videos to other new keepers. We discuss your information amongst ourselves often. Thanks!

[Palanthon]

I put the screen bottom board on in spring and the solid one back on in fall.

[aaronclark]

Commercial beekeeper so I use 4 way pallets but have a stack of bottom boards for excess spring splits and swarms. The screened bb's always end up crawling with sugar ants. Bees will provide their own ventilation with a proper sized entrance, in fact, they tend to coat the screens with propolis if I leave them on the screened bb all season.

[WhatsTheBuzz]

I use screened boards and just put the mite board in to seal the bottom in winter. In the summer, the bees waste a lot of effort keeping the hive cool with a solid one. Since bees "run" on honey, reducing their workload makes sense.

[altaylor]

Not sure how I missed it earlier but I just watched this video. As some say, there are as many reasons to use one as not to use one. Two items not mentioned: 1. When using a screened bottom, a lot of trash can fall below the screen on the insert. The bees are unable to clean it and I have seen pest larvae growing in the debris. Yes, an occasional cleaning of the insert helps. 2. When adding a new queen to a hive for any reason (package, nuc, re-queening etc) with the insert removed, the amount of light coming into the hive can create an environment that the new queen does not like. We sell queens and in our experience, there is a 30-40% chance the queen will leave the hive. We always encourage putting the insert in to block the light until the queen starts to lay.

[rosalitasloan]

Thank you for the lesson on the screened bottom board. I started out with one when I started bee keeping, in Oklahoma the temps can get very hot in the summer. Again thank you!

[javierdelgado]

Absolutely worth it! I know many people don't like it, I do see all the advantages and use it.

[gregsmailes]

Willing to try screen bottom board for ventilation.

[jerrykey]

Good afternoon Mr David,
It's 4/9/23 Happy Easter I'm down here in the mountains of North Carolina. I'm trying out this year screen bottom board, solid bottom board and the poly hives. I'm hoping the poly hives do the best for me just because of the cost of each hive. Thank you for putting out great videos.

[TinyTrailFarm]

Thanks Dave, good info. I'm going into my first winter and this video also gave me good tips on how to think about using the cardboard bottom under my screenboard. Love it! I've also order my winter be kind boards, and taken your winter classes! You and your team have made my year one (2022) a lot easier! Thanks again! Kevin

[thenewbeejournal]

Thank your for taking on another piece of equipment surrounded by controversy. Many beeks love some hate it. We are running a study on temperature and humidity comparing both in Houston Texas. So far there is not a significant difference on temperature below 79F. Most bees start fanning at 86F and then the screened bottom board gets a 3F advantage from 80F-86F. But summer just started, more to learn.

[dougwhitmore]

Hi David. I use screen bottom boards here in Maine because I found I had better honey production compared to the solid bottoms that I used for years. I do place a rectangle of rigid foam insulation under the board in the fall and remove it when the maples bloom in spring. Thank you again for the great videos. Best, Doug

[debbieherbaugh]

Thanks! I’ve got both but I’m using the screen bottom board!

[simonscoggins]

Thanks Dave... Love the screen bottom boards, too!! Great videos!!

[amathonn]

I've found it may "not the best way to test for mites" but that it can be a pretty good permanent indicator when you should test more thoroughly

[bgtrev]

With summers temps up at 40 C and winter as low as -25 C this video has helped, so screen in the summer and then solid one when the cold sets in, many thanks.

[jamestiller]

i'm going to go with a screened bottom board down here in central texas. - i am just beginning so I am going for a lot of learning experience, i've been my daughter-in-laws journeyman and we did her first extraction this weekend. Learning a ton by working the bees and watching your videos and will be implimenting some of your methods when installing my first hive next month. Either way David - love the content sir, keep it coming.

[ToBeeOrNotToBeHoney]

In a wet area like Seattle screen bottom boards left fully open all year improve ventalation (yes even when there is snow on the ground) and help reduce the condensation in the hive.

[ericjohnson]

I use the screen bottom board so mites fall out. Thanks Eric