I keep 3 hives in a garage attic (due to a small property in a suburbian
setting) and it gets somewhat hot up there in the summer.  I use open
bottoms and tops and seldom see frantic fanning by the bees.  I do see quite
a few varroa fall through the open bottoms.  Studies show that open bottom
alone do not significantly reduce varroa.  For me, any varroa that drops to
its death is one less varroa on the bees.

Waldemar
Long Island, NY

> >
> > do open bottom boards really help in reducing the varrola problem?

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