Hi all, I'm currently making my first four hives and the time has come to look at the floors. I would like some opinions on floors where there seem to be three main design considerations:
1. Ventilation
2. Disease/pest control
3. Draft/chill prevention
The very basic floor consists of a flat piece of wood with a bee space above it, an entrance spanning the width of the hive (which can be closed off to some degree by means of an entrance block or similar). Beekeepers I have spoken to who use this floor have to provide added ventilation (usually in the form of matchsticks under a crownboard), particularly in winter, as do those using a mesh floor which has been closed off for winter.
Is this solid floor still popular, or are ventilation/pest issues now making it less common?
The alternative Varroa/ mesh floor almost seems a given, both for monitoring mites and mite population reduction.
What are the pros and cons of this regarding levels of ventilation and drafts – especially on a seasonal basis? I know of beekeepers here leave their floors open all year for instance.
In a recent post TwT directed us to this article
http://www.bbka.org.uk/freefiles/diy_open_mesh_floor-graham-white.pdfwhich describes a floor with porch entrance way (< drafts, > defensive capability). This type of entrance isn’t currently common here in the UK, although I have seen it on continental hives – are there any users of this type of porched entrance way.
Any thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages of this entrance way design?