Screened Bottom Board, etc.

[itsme]

I bought two packages this Spring that were a little short.  The seller and I agreed in the Fall that five deep frames is about equal to eight medium frames and I only got five medium frames for each hive in the Spring.  That's all I'll say about that for now.

Regardless, I have been transitioning to foundationless frames with what seems to be some success.  One hive seems to be doing better than the other one (three ten frame boxes as opposed to three eight frame boxes).

I have been checking on them weekly since I don't really know what I'm doing.  I have set back the ten frame hive a couple of times by removing some nice perpendicular cross comb they had built.  I'm trying to leave them only enough room to make comb where it's manageable.  This seems to be a problem of sorts since I only have so many drawn combs to give them as a guide for the foundationless ones.

Now all of the bottom boxes have all foundationless frames and the two top boxes have a mix of the ones I got originally and foundationless that I have added between.

We've had pretty good rain here this year so far and the bees have been building up new comb and filling it and the queens are laying what seems to me to be fairly well.

Question ONE:  I have been trimming down some of the frames to 1 1/4".  Are these only for brood or are they good for the entire hive?

Question TWO:  I have been using a top entrance on both hives and totally closed on the bottom.  Should I be using a screened bottom board or something to allow more ventilation?  If so, is this only during the summertime?

Thanks for any responses.  I always appreciate the wisdom of those who have gone before :-)

Bill in Missouri

[capt44]

I use Deep Frames in my brood boxes (9 5/8 inch deep) but go to medium frames for the medium supers ( 6 5/8 inch deep)  wood.
Some folks use the screened bottom board for ventilation and a way for the small hive beetles and varroa mites to fall through.
I use a solid bottom board with a 1 1/4 inch opening and vented at the top.
The bees will beard outside when it's real humid and hot cooling the hive down.
Actually in the winter the hive needs to be vented to evaporate any moisture collecting at the top to keep it from dripping back down on the cluster.
In the winter I would close off the screened bottom board but leave the entrance open enough for the hive to ventilate.

[Michael Bush]

>Question ONE:  I have been trimming down some of the frames to 1 1/4".  Are these only for brood or are they good for the entire hive?

I use them everywhere, but in supers I'm liable to space them wider (as most people do with regular width frames)

>Question TWO:  I have been using a top entrance on both hives and totally closed on the bottom.  Should I be using a screened bottom board or something to allow more ventilation?

I wouldn't worry about it.  I have some screened area, but it's so I can fill the the solid bottom boards and use it as a feeder.