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Making bottom boards with landings

6K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  Harley Craig 
#1 ·
Hey does anyone have a good plan to make those taller landing boards with the angled ramp on them that some people use? I Just use a reg board thats a little longer and have strips on 3 sides but wouldnt mind seeing how the other style is made. Also How tall do people make the strips for the entrance I've done 3/4" high strips 3 sides before so i can fit the entrance reducer flush with the box underneath but do people usually stay with the 3/8's and then just park the entrance reducer on the front??

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
just did a quick review of that pdf (bought on one from Kelly,while good, no rabet joints or glue). It's a keeper, i'd add cleats on the inside and if you do it out of cedar though, remember that stock measurments are 7/8 thickness (for the rabet joints)
 
#4 ·
I usually just copy one of the landing boards I have. As far as entrance reducers, I often just lay a strip of wood across the entrance the length that I want to cover. Any old height. I don't even push it under the box. It rarely moves unless it's very windy. If I want it wider I can just pull it away a little or cut it down or throw a shorter piece it, etc. Fall and winter is a different story with a mouse guard but in the spring just laying a scrap piece of pine in place seems to work fine.
 
#6 ·
haha not for me for someone looking for them might want me to build them for him. i will let him know maybe he will go with the normal board.

i use a 3/4" space there because i use entrance reduces that fit in the gap not just up front do others do this or do most just sie a 3/8s space and reduce in front of that?
 
#7 ·
It seems to me that "landing deck" is beneficial to bees. I also saw huge tilted "ramps" in traditional European beehives. Some hives even had a piece of wood from the ground to the entrance as a ramp. Ramp's tilt is to prevent from water entering the hive. But I think, ramp is also beneficial to bees - it helps to organize their flights and place for gathering... I personally, did not figure out how to make a tilt in my setup. My current setup is the bottom board is extended creating a nice deck as an extension of the board. I do not worry about rain because (1) we are SoCal and (2) I have screened bottom, so water could not pass the screen.

I also saw ramps on the hinges - to close the entrance for winter I guess... ? I think, one could adjust hinges so that board is tilted. Good luck with your project. Let us know what is your final design.
 
#8 ·
Why have a ramp. Bees can fly and don't need a runway to take off. I just extend the bottom board 50mm (2 inch) past the hive entrance. R.O.B. Manly the first person in England to have 1000 hives did not have any landing area. They made it harder to transport hives.
 
#9 ·
Obviously, in the nature, bees have no ramps. It is human-being invention same as Lang boxes and frames. In nature,bees do not use supers and removable frames with foundation. My observation is that bees less crowded at the entrance with landing deck. I am sure that "porch" is not essential, but my bees use it in many different ways: landing strip, cleaning area (mite-control), gathering space, place for trash (collected at night and removed in the morning) etc. My landing decks also is painted with strips - bees follow the strips when landed, they took off from the top of the entrance, so there is perfectly organized 2-way traffic. Strips also help to identify the hives (different color/pattern). Bees love strips! I notices that with hole-entrance, bees spent more time in the air and when landed, they usually spent some time at the hive's wall before entering the hole. In case of my landing deck with strips, bees landed as a military jets straight to the point, following the strip and run into the hive directly, no stops. It looks actually impressive. I was trying to take a picture or movie, but it is not good - bees are too quick, even video is too slow for them. Having two hives, I could afford to offer to my bees some luxury of having porch. Hopefully, it makes my bees happier.
 
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