Bottom Boards - 3/4" vs. 3/8" entrance

[AmericasBeekeeper]

3/8 entrance for the last 6 years, year-round, reduced down to 2 inch last two years with fewer SHB

[Clayton Huestis]

I must be the odd one as I use 3/4 all year round. 3/8 doesnt keep out mice for sure any self respecting mouse can chew there way in (metal mouse guards is the only way to go). I just feel the 3/4 entrance allow the hive to breathe a lil better. It might even allow for a little more traffic to come and go. I bet it doen't really matter in the end long as you use what you like.

[Ian]

I have a 3/4 in rim around my pallet bottom boards. It is because that was the size of the 1*4 I ripped down to make the rims.
I think the 3/4 is a bit more drafty that the smaller rimmed bottom boards, but an entrance reducer usually goes into place anyway

[psfred]

The original reverseable boards were intended to be use 3/8" side up in the summer, 3/4" side up in winter to allow for dead bees collecting in the hive on the bottom board as the dead ones fall out of the cluster in cold weather. A pile of wet, rotting dead bees could be a real problem in the spring, and it could take quite a bit of work to clear them away from a fairly small entrance. It's one thing to drag something out a hole, it's quite another to drag dead bees INTO the hive to clear the entrance.

The bees probably don't care how big the space under the frames is.

Peter

[Roland]

We use a patented "level-drain" bottom board, that is reversible, and always has a 3/4" opening. Entrance blocks are used in the spring, early summer, and early fall to restrict the size of the opening. In Fall, mouse guards are applied.

Crazy Roland

[flyingbrass]

I just have a hard time believing that a bunch of dead bees on the bottom board could keep live bees inside from exiting the hive. They chew through Styrofoam, wood, paper, etc., why would they not be able to move some dead bees?

this killed my observation hive for the last two years, at least I think it was this

[tefer2]

Roland, whats the level drain bottom board all about? Never heard of it.

[Wisnewbee]

Sorry to be different, my 4 way pallets have a 1/2" cleat that the bottom box rests on.

Wisnewbee
Honey Luv Farm

[Joseph Clemens]

I still use bottom boards, but completely eliminated them as entrances, when I discovered the true extent that those bottom entrances exposed the bees to being consumed, en mass, by predators.

[Sticky Bear]

Well I'm happy with the 3/4" opening in the bottom but I use a top entrance as well. As you can see by the pic I have mouse guards in place year round, they were made from corner bead I picked up at Home Depot. I'm trying to not have to put down so many skunks and coons this year. All hives are 24" off ground now.
DSC01682a.jpg

[Ross]

I build all of mine screened and 3/4".