Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question  (Read 5907 times)

Offline sarafina

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 340
  • Gender: Female
Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« on: March 25, 2008, 10:52:38 pm »
Another noob question.  I am supposed to pick up my bees on April 5.  My hive came with a solid bottom board, which I have not put together yet.  I ordered a screened bottom board from Rossman with the SHB trap below it.  It hasn't shipped yet and I may not get it before I hive my bees - in which case I will put together the solid bottom board together and use that.

My question is - once I hive my bees, how upset are they going to be when I pick up the deep to change out the bottom board if I have to change it out a week or so after I get my bees?  I know you can't predict bee behavior, but I am looking for some general advice here since I have never handled bees before.

Offline annette

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 5353
  • Gender: Female
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2008, 11:10:20 pm »
I have moved the bottom super at times for various reasons. You just smoke them and move the new SBB in place. They are not going to bother you that much, they will just be looking for their home and they will find it again soon as you place the hive back together. No worries!!

Annette

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2008, 07:53:55 am »
>My question is - once I hive my bees, how upset are they going to be when I pick up the deep to change out the bottom board if I have to change it out a week or so after I get my bees?

If you are graceful and gentle, more than likely not one bee will be upset, but a lot of them will be confused while you're doing this.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2008, 11:04:45 am »
If you have the space sit the new board right beside the hive. Gentle pick up the hive body and slowly gently move it over and sit it down on the SBB. You might use the hive tool to make sure the box isn't stuck to the "old" bottom board. Might not even need to smoke.

This is neat. After you have moved the hive over like that and removed the bottom board from the old place, watch as the bees come in from foraging. It is like they are not even looking. They zoom into the landing place and it is like "HEY! What the..... Huh, must have been memory lapse. No. Everybody else is coming here. What the heck happened?" Then they go on into the hive.
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline DayValleyDahlias

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1629
  • Gender: Female
    • DayValleyDahlia's Blog
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2008, 11:35:36 am »
It's easy, even for me!  I had to do a couple of different things to the swarm that I hived...as I have been advised so many time here, relax and enjoy!

Sharon

Offline sarafina

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 340
  • Gender: Female
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2008, 09:55:11 pm »

This is neat. After you have moved the hive over like that and removed the bottom board from the old place, watch as the bees come in from foraging. It is like they are not even looking. They zoom into the landing place and it is like "HEY! What the..... Huh, must have been memory lapse. No. Everybody else is coming here. What the heck happened?" Then they go on into the hive.

too funny.   :-D




Thanks for all the advice, guys - I feel better about it now.  I talked to Rossman and it probably won't make it by April 2 so I will use the solid bottom board and then change it out.

Offline Moonshae

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 988
  • Gender: Male
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2008, 05:40:35 pm »
It also doesn't hurt to wait until you're already going into the hive for an inspection, or whatever, rather than tearing things apart just to swap out the bottom boards.
"The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer." - Egyptian Proverb, 2200 BC

Offline Brian D. Bray

  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Galactic Bee
  • ********
  • Posts: 7369
  • Gender: Male
  • I really look like this, just ask Cindi.
    • http://spaces.msn.com/thecoonsden
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2008, 02:42:40 am »
It also doesn't hurt to wait until you're already going into the hive for an inspection, or whatever, rather than tearing things apart just to swap out the bottom boards.

Having abandoned bottom boards all together I now use bottomless slatted racks with top entrances.  I've decided that any screen smaller than 1/4 inch is also unnecessary.  1/4 or 3/8 screen lets the bees through but keeps the preditors out and the slatted racks place enough distance between frames and screen.   

The longer I'm in beekeeping the more convinced I am that letting the bees be as natural as Langstroth hive will allow coupled with adequate ventilation and minimumal interference is the best way to keep bees. 
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline my-smokepole

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 84
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2008, 09:22:38 am »
Brian ? for you are you.  Are you leave it out all winter. Or putting in a mite board for winter. Mite board was all I could think to call it. Basicly a siding board or flat draw
My-smokepole

Offline Brian D. Bray

  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Heavenly Beekeeper
  • Galactic Bee
  • ********
  • Posts: 7369
  • Gender: Male
  • I really look like this, just ask Cindi.
    • http://spaces.msn.com/thecoonsden
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2008, 01:59:37 am »
When I made my bottomless hive stands I made them so that I could slide a peuce of plywood as think as 1/2 inch to hold a sticky board or seal up the underside of the hive if necessary.  With temps down to the mid teens, using slatted racks, I have yet to find it necessary to close up the open bottom of the hive in any way.  I overwintered 2 hives and 2 nucs on SBB and slatted racks a didn't even try to close up the bottom.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline sarafina

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 340
  • Gender: Female
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #10 on: April 06, 2008, 04:06:51 pm »
Ok, another question - well, maybe several  :-D.  I am going to get hubbie to help replace the bottom board with the new screened bottom board which will be in on Monday.  Had I gotten it on Friday I would have had it in place before I hived my bees, but I didn't. 

Anyway, can he just pick up the whole hive box while I pull the old bottom board and replace it?  Or should I take the frames out and put them in my unused second brood box then pick up the hive box and swap out?  When I smoke the bees won't it drive them down to the bottom where I will be working to change out the bottom board?  Is this a problem?

Keep in mind I just hived my bees and have never made an inspection of my bees before.  I also need to remove the queen cage and make sure she is out and put in my tenth frame.  To say I am nervous about the whole process in an understatement!  Should I wait to change out the bottom board since they just got a new home, or is next weekend the best time to do it if the weather is sunny like they are predicting?

Thanks for your help !!!!   

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #11 on: April 06, 2008, 05:00:55 pm »
>Anyway, can he just pick up the whole hive box while I pull the old bottom board and replace it?

Of course.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline sarafina

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 340
  • Gender: Female
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2008, 08:47:54 pm »
I decided to put off changing out my bottom board until next weekend.  And..... I have another question.  :-D

My husband is going to lift the hive box while I pull out the old bottom board and replace it with the screened one.

What do I do with all the bees on the old bottom board and what if the queen is on it?  Do I open the top and shake them into the hive? Or should I set it in front of the entrance and let them find their own way home?

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2008, 11:24:19 pm »
>What do I do with all the bees on the old bottom board

You guess well, either shake them in or leave it in front of the hive.  Either works fine.

> and what if the queen is on it?

She will not be.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline sarafina

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 340
  • Gender: Female
Re: Screened Bottom Board Changeout Question
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2008, 05:46:21 pm »
Thanks, Michael for holding my hand in cyber space.  The changeout went fine - I put the old bottom board in front of the hive and by the time I was finished peaking at a couple of frames most of them had found their way back home.

 

anything