Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Myron Rotruck on November 25, 2005, 09:52:55 pm

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: Myron Rotruck on November 25, 2005, 09:52:55 pm

I have my hive set on a iron pole about 2 ft off the ground, with a oil trap around the pole to keep out unwanted pest like ants. But all I have on the bottom of my hive is a screen bottom, I mean I can get down under the hive and look up and see though the screen what is going on in the hive. My question is this going to be OK to leave it this way this winter open on the bottom or should I put something underneath the hive to keep out draft and maybe a little of the cold. The colony is not very big at all, and I noticed that a few of the bees were already dead on the bottom of the screen. Need a little advice. Thanks

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: Jerrymac on November 26, 2005, 12:03:30 am

Bees die not because of the weather or anything else. Just old age. They will be in the hive bottom. I don't believe Arkansas would get cold enough to worry about the SBB. People up in BC Canada keeps them open all winter.

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: amymcg on November 26, 2005, 09:38:14 am

Complete agreement with Jerry -  In fact one of my suppliers leaves some of them open in the winter with no adverse affects and we can get pretty cold up here.  Ventilation is good.

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: Michael Bush on November 26, 2005, 12:28:44 pm

Up in the air will get more wind won't it?  I'd close it at least partially.  They don't need that much ventilation.

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: newbee101 on November 26, 2005, 12:53:01 pm

I agree with Michael, all that cold wind cant be good. 1 or 2 inches open should be more than enough ventilation.

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: Diver on November 28, 2005, 08:14:06 am

Assuming a normal design for the OMF and being on a pole wind would be a problem. The warmth of the hive could be sucked out as the wind blows across the bottom. I would suggest a skirt to a depth of at least 4" be added to lessen the effect, an old super possibly?

Title: Screen bottom in winter time
Post by: Rich V on November 28, 2005, 07:07:52 pm

My hives  set on stands one foot off the ground. I run a skirt of ply wood around the stands to keep the wind out during the winter. We get alot of high winds,and I figure its a safety precaution.

Rich V.