Screened Bottom Boards

[RZRBCK BEE]

Does anyone leave these on their hives year around? How about in the colder climates vs warmer climates?

[SD2522]

I have used them in CT. I made a switch between a solid bottom board to a screened bottom board in the middle of May. I plan on making a switch back to a solid bottom board as soon as the weather starts to get colder (Septemberish).

[RZRBCK BEE]

Obviously it doesn't get as cold here in Arkansas as the more northern states but we do have a month or two of off and on freezing weather and need to know if I should switch back in the winter or not.

[JOHNYOGA2]

In Zone 5, Central Indiana, with temps as low as -10F for 7-10 days a winter, I use screened bottom boards all year long. Moisture is a bigger problem here then cold. We usually have a very wet November-December then the rain starts up again in March.

[peletier]

I have been leaving mine open year-round but am considering sliding the sticky board in for the last couple months of winter. The thinking is this may warm up the brood chamber for faster build up in the spring.

[BaconStreetBees]

I have recently gone with SBB's. In my reading, I am led to believe that you can use them year around. Their function is to allow good ventilation as well as mite control. It is generally believed that moisture is the killer in winter and not the cold.
There is some evidence that colder temps do slow down brood production. So there is somewhat of a trade off.
My feeling is that it is better to have slower production and healthy bees as opposed to a larger production and then lose the colony.
I am still a relatively new beek, and do not pretend to be an authority, but I am happy to share what I have learned so far.

Murray

[Ardilla]

I use them all year (switching would be a pain) here in Zone 5. We get below zero in the winter and close to 100 in the summer and dry ten months of the year. I only remove the sticky boards during the summer heat and autumn monsoon (main nectar flow).

[10hive]

I use them all year, in early Dec, i slide a sheet of plywood between the bottom board and the hive stand, I made my stands for that purpose,some air can still get in, they can use the bottom entrance and they also have a top entrance on the candy board.Last winter at one point, the snow was over the stand and the brude box.I also wrap the hives with 15# felt.

[Jay Burgess]

I use them both all of my sbb over winter well in north NH and on cape cod. I stuff dry leaves under the sbb during the winter The sbb is slower to get going during the honey flow than the solids as it take longer to warm the hive.

[Michael Bush]

I don't know anyone who actually takes them off (although I'm sure there is someone somewhere). Most put a tray in or take it out. I put it in for the winter.

[Ross]

I don't even have trays. Mine are all open all the time.

[clarkfarm]

Last year was my first year as beekeeper. I had only one hive. I used one deep and one medium as the brood chambers. Added two honey supers with bare foundation which were filled with honey before winter. Left them on for the bees. Used a SBB the entire winter. It got to 8 degrees here a few nights. Didn't use an insert of any kind -- just the open SSB. My hive came through very strong. When I opened the hive in the Spring all four boxes were bursting with bees. Didn't split and the hive swarmed on May 6. (Caught the swarm which was basketball sized). Original hive now has two brood chambers and three supers full of honey and starting on the fourth. Swarm has two brood chambers full from foundation only and starting to build out a honey super from foundation. I am convinced ventilation is more important than warmth -- at least down to 8 degrees.