I just purchased one of the mesh wire floors to try for varroa control, but
I was under the impression that it was to be placed on top of the bottom
board not in place of it. Was I wrong in that assumption or is this simply
another approach to the problems mentioned here?  If you leave the solid
bottom board off all winter, won't it be too cold for the bees?  Our
weather in Virginia, US is similar to most of UK, but I think we get a bit
more snow.  Would this be a problem?

Also, I have a slatted spacer under my brood chambers for added ventilation
and space, and my setting is in the shade in the summer, so I don't have
quite the heat problems that sunny settings do.

Vivian

>This season, after reading comments in these pages, have returned to a
>system I tested a few years back - Open Mesh Floors. In these pages it was
>being advocated as a method of varroa control, the mites falling through the
>mesh onto the ground below the hive.
snip>
>I will leave my mesh floors in position throughout the winter, my previous
>experience was that my bees enjoyed the added ventilation, less
>condensation.
>Ken Hoare
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