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Author Topic: SBB.....a good idea?  (Read 4912 times)

Offline Buzzen

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SBB.....a good idea?
« on: May 15, 2009, 11:08:59 pm »
Would a screened bottom board be a good idea in Idaho? Seems like it would be too cold even with a cover. What do you think?
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2009, 01:12:43 am »
Quote from: Buzzen on May 15, 2009, 11:08:59 pm
Would a screened bottom board be a good idea in Idaho? Seems like it would be too cold even with a cover. What do you think?

IMO, a screened bottom board is a good idea anywhere.  I opperate with bottomless hives and have left them open all winter long, they've overwintered just fine.
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Online Kathyp

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2009, 10:12:32 am »
i use them in oregon.  i do  keep them closed from september until ??  mine are still closed  :-).
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Offline dragonfly

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2009, 07:14:44 pm »
The only thing about SSB's that concerns me is that I remember a seasoned beekeeper saying that using them seems to decrease hive growth (numbers of bees). Other than that, there's no problems that I am aware of.
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Offline gaucho10

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2009, 07:23:01 pm »
Correct me if I'm wrong or direct me to the post but I don't remember reading anything about a SBB decreasing the # of B'.  I'm in Massachusetts and a SBB is new to me, at least since last year.  I like them.  Lately we had night temps in the 50's and I had the bottom slide out.  Two nights ago temps dipped to 38 and I just slid the tray on.  That's how easy it is.  In the hot summer it is a blessing.  That's my $0.59 of thought.
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Offline dragonfly

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2009, 07:26:58 pm »
Quote from: gaucho10 on May 16, 2009, 07:23:01 pm
Correct me if I'm wrong or direct me to the post but I don't remember reading anything about a SBB decreasing the # of B'. 

It wasn't on this forum, but it was by a beekeeper whose opinion I listen to. I don't think SBB's are a bad idea, I just remember reading that. I use them just so I can do mite counts, but I keep a tray of some kind under the hives almost all the time.
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Offline gaucho10

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2009, 07:42:18 pm »
""I use them just so I can do mite counts, but I keep a tray of some kind under the hives almost all the time.""

Me too.  I keep the tray under the hive just to keep any grass from growing up and to save the lost pellets of pollen that the bees sometimes drop.
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My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Online Jim134

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2009, 07:49:23 pm »
Quote from: gaucho10 on May 16, 2009, 07:23:01 pm
Correct me if I'm wrong or direct me to the post but I don't remember reading anything about a SBB decreasing the # of B'.  I'm in Massachusetts and a SBB is new to me, at least since last year.  I like them.  Lately we had night temps in the 50's and I had the bottom slide out.  Two nights ago temps dipped to 38 and I just slid the tray on.  That's how easy it is.  In the hot summer it is a blessing.  That's my $0.59 of thought.


 SSB are left open all winter long for the lasts 4 years they overwintered just fine in Athol, MA. 01331


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
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Offline WhipCityBeeMan

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2009, 09:10:22 pm »
I had 4 hives with solid  BB's and lost 3 of them.  I am not saying it was only because of the BB's but this year I overwintered 5 out of 5 hives with screened BB's.  I covered them in December and opened them in March.  I live in MA and we had a very cold winter.  I think that it proves that moisture kills bees, not cold. 
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2009, 11:39:31 pm »
Quote from: WhipCityBeeMan on May 16, 2009, 09:10:22 pm
I had 4 hives with solid  BB's and lost 3 of them.  I am not saying it was only because of the BB's but this year I overwintered 5 out of 5 hives with screened BB's.  I covered them in December and opened them in March.  I live in MA and we had a very cold winter.  I think that it proves that moisture kills bees, not cold. 

AAAAaammmeeenn!   
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Offline Buzzen

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2009, 02:43:09 pm »
Thanks for the input everyone.  I'll probably go ahead and use them.
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Offline beehive

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2009, 09:31:37 pm »
what is your hives on with SBB?  my hives are on an open pressure treated frame a foot off the ground.  would this allow to much air flow?
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Offline Robo

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2009, 09:45:48 pm »
You will find folks on both sides of the issue, it is almost like talking religion :-X

I've switch back to solid bottom boards about 3-4 years ago and believe it has helped my wintering percentage and perhaps plays a part with varroa control as I haven't had to treat anything in 3 years.

Couple points to consider.

1. Every feral colony I have found has always been sealed up tight.
2. Varroa doesn't prosper as well in warmer and higher humidity conditions. -> http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,16851.0.html
3. Colony heat retention helps with faster brood build up in the spring.  Bees don't have to cluster as close to maintain temperature and therefore can cover more brood.
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Online Kathyp

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2009, 10:14:01 pm »
i tend to agree with robo, but i use SBBs.  i just keep  mine closed most of the year.  when days are consistently in the +80s and nights are warm, i open them.
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Offline Eshu

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2009, 02:21:30 pm »
I keep mine closed most of the year and use them mostly to monitor mite drop.  Here in the desert southwest I am concerned they may have a hard time maintaining moisture in the hive.  Getting rid of moisture is not a problem...
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Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2009, 02:44:17 pm »
I use SBB's here in Western Washington.  I also keep them open all winter, helps keep moisture out.  I've had no problems with the number of bees decreasing.  The only thing I don't like about screened bottom boards is keeping them clean.  That is until I discovered the SBB's from Walter T. Kelley.  From the back of your hive you can not only pull out the plastic sheet for doing mite counts, but you can also pull out the screen it's self, dumping all the debris out.  Makes it really nice, especially if you had a harder than normal winter like we did this year and have lots of dead bees blocking the exit.  That way you don't have to tear the entire hive apart or move double stacked deeps off the bottom board.  :-)

Sean Kelly
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Offline bassman1977

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2009, 04:20:37 pm »
I have SBBs and I like them for the summer ventilation only.  I have kept them open during the winter and every time I did I had considerably more hive losses than if I used solid bottoms or closed SBBs.  Never again.  I also noticed that keeping the SSBs open during the winter and early spring will aid in a slower build up.  All things considered, I probably won't drop another dime into SBBs unless they are a great price.
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Offline gaucho10

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Re: SBB.....a good idea?
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2009, 06:50:51 pm »
As Sean Kelly pointed out, the SBB he has is a removable screen.  I like that about a SBB and so I made my own.  By making dadoes on the side I can removed the screen from the back of the hive for cleaning.  If you purchased a non-removable SBB you can still correct that by removing the screen and making a metal frame for the screen.  It takes a little bit of artistic work but it can be done.  After frame the screen you can then slide the screen back to its original location and you can then removed the screen for cleaning.  Most of the cleaning you are going to do on a SBB is during the winter when you have dead bees at the bottom.  If you remove the screen carefully you will not disturb the hive and its occupants.  The removable SBB is deffinitely the way to go.
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My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!
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