Plans for bottom board that will work in Arizona' heat.

[JulieB]

First time beekeeper wondering how to keep our Warre hive cool enough to make it through summer in Arizona. We have the hive under a covered horse corral with shade cloth on the west side. Wondering about plans for a screened bottom board. Saw the photos of sumps . . . What keeps the bees from drawing comb in them?

Thanks, JulieB

[Bush_84]

You could put a slatted rack in. Or just keep ahead of them with empty boxes. A sump with a screened bottom would help.

[chaindrivecharlie]

Julie, the bees will not attach comb to bottom screen. They may propolise it, but they want build comb on it. The Abbe Warre discovered that about the bees. They will build down to bee space, 3/8 of an inch. In the 8 inches they have in each box going down. You can also put holes in each box to further encourage ventilation. Some folks do that and use corks to plug up for winter. I would leave at least one open at top for proper ventilation in winter. Up here in Wisconsin, some of us have screen bottoms on all winter. But we have a lot of wet winter weather. And this helps to keep bees dry. Wet bees die very quickly in cold weather. And dry bees can survive cold weather better. So as Mr. Bush said, a screened sump would be great for your bees.
Good luck to You.

[odfrank]

What is a sump?

[forgeblast]

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...d&prevstart=24
here you go

[Michael Bush]

Just remember, too much ventilation when the temperatures are above 93 F are worse than not enough. They have to control the ventilation in order to COOL the hive back DOWN to 93 F. Too much ventilation will prevent this.

[Zonker]

For whatever it's worth ... this the solution I came up with. https://www.box.com/s/ac8956ebc0130cedcade.

[osteve]

Just remember, too much ventilation when the temperatures are above 93 F are worse than not enough. They have to control the ventilation in order to COOL the hive back DOWN to 93 F. Too much ventilation will prevent this.

So in 100+ temp (California desert) should I close off the side vents in the roof?
Winter it goes down to @30 deg. should I open them back up?
-tony

[Zonker]

I've always wondered about the "less ventilation is good in high heat idea". It seems like it violates the laws of physics. Its evaporation that cools the air. So it would seem like you would need additional drier air to continue evaporating. Where does that air come from if the hive is closed off? Also how would evaporation work at all in humid climates. And why do tropical/jungle bees form their hives entirely open to the air? I can see how really hot dry air would only be needed in limited quantities, but normally humid air would quickly become too humid to be of any use to the bees. Are there any studies that could explain all this?

[Ricky Bee]

Saw the photos of sumps . . . What keeps the bees from drawing comb in them?

I don't think anyone really answered this question, and I've been curious too. If you have a sump, what keeps the bees from drawing comb down past the level of the bottom edge of the bottom box, all the way down to a bee space from the bottom of the sump?

[chaindrivecharlie]

Ricky, the screen in the sump is the same height as any bottom board. The sump is just a term for the hollow under the screen. Some build them as deep as a standard Warre box. And others make them as shallow as a standard bottom board. But always the screen is flush with the bottom of the bottom box. With a ramp down and out for the entrance. If not they will build burr comb like in a Langstroth.
Hope this helps.
Charlie

[Ricky Bee]

chaindrivecharlie,

Thanks for the explanation.