There are sticky boards and there are sticky boards.

I do not use screened bottoms but stayed with the traditional solid bottom
since I have tried about every variation of the screened bottom that there
is and found them wanting.

Mine "screen" is an aluminum cookie pan with raised edges (Walmart for
about $1) painted white, and 1/4" wire screen to fit the entire bottom of
the pan. I cut an end lip off the pan so when I shove the "board" in it
cuts any debris instead of bulldozing it into the back of the hive. On the
still lipped end, which will be in the weather, I drill two holes at the
corners for drain holes, in case of rain. When the pan goes into the hive I
leave about 2-3" open to the elements so the bees have easy access to the
hive.

I added the wire screen, which is lifted off the pan by two Popsicle sticks
hot glued to the screen, to get the bees away from the mites since they
will do a great job of removing them if they can get to them and you will
get very bad mite counts. So the layering is- bottom of pan, Popsicle
sticks, and screen.

I use Crisco for the "sticky" and I put the pans in directly after I remove
the OAV wand. I pull them the next day and bring them inside to count
mites. Works fine for me but I only like to keep 2 to 5 hives and only
monitor 2 or 3 depending on which I think needs it.

My treatments during the year are not prophylactic but for mite counts. I
consider OAV to be less harmful to bees than an alcohol wash and more
accurate.

There was a comment that you need to do an alcohol wash otherwise you
cannot see what is going on in the hive. I did not address that but for
clarity...

The OAV treatments are not a substitute for opening a hive.

I "get into my hives" about twice a year usually in mid spring when things
start humming. If I split them, they get a complete tear down.The other
time is around late July.

Occasionally I will pull four or five frames if I am concerned about a
hive. I want to be as unobtrusive to my bees as possible.

The thread was about mites and whether to monitor or set specific times to
treat. My technique  uses both.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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