Welcome, Guest
Login or Register
Home
« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays  (Read 11490 times)

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« on: February 11, 2019, 10:12:40 pm »
I am planning on doing several splits as soon as the time is right. I am at a dilemma as far as oil pans or trays are concerned. I have made my own, customized to fit properly in the bottom holding box, (wall to wall) but this takes time. I have made them from flashing. Which is not so cheap when you add up the time and material. I also have made some from plastic coated foam board that you can easily purchase at any dollar store, or Walmart etc with the advantage of making two Nuc size trays from an eighty-eight cent board. but takes time. What I am hoping to find is some type of material that I can simply (paint) on the inside of the bottom board box which holds the oil tray, thus eliminating the oil tray, and will dry and set up as similar to a plastic finish. I have thought of fiber glass. But as I said am hoping to find something which sets up similar to plastic. Does anyone here know of such a product?  I am persuaded that the entire bottom of the hive should have a screen to be completely effective against SHB, along with a wall to wall oil containment beneath that area. My theory is a partial oil tray or pan is not, or cannot be as effective as complete bottom coverage. If a hive beetle happens to fall through the bottom screen and misses the pan. It can simply crawl back up, through the screen and live to slime the hive on another day. This is something that I can't tolerate if at all possible. Once they fall through the bottom screen, I want them in the oil. Dead and done.
Thanks, Phillip
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline paus

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 661
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2019, 11:02:42 pm »
I am now making some DSBB (Double screen bottom boards)full screen top and bottom, some with back  half of top board screened to catch more dropped pollen. some with two 6" round holes in the back  with screens over the holes.  No conclusions yet.  The best thing I have found  is to hand roll the edge of used aluminum casserole pans to fit the space between the screens.  They are deep enough that the hive can tilt preferably forward without spilling oil.  By doing this I am completely away from the mess, I usually pour the oil in 5 gallon bucket.  I have not made a mess except last week I let a hive escape my grip and it tilted over and spilled the organic oil on the ground where it will return to its organic origin.  I forgot rule one; remove the pan before moving.  I am sure nothing like this ever happened to any of you.  I had no protection except my jacket that was tightly pulled over my head. Did not get any arthritis treatment by the bees. They settled down in 5 minutes.
Logged

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2019, 11:43:09 pm »
Quote from: paus on February 11, 2019, 11:02:42 pm
I am now making some DSBB (Double screen bottom boards)full screen top and bottom, some with back  half of top board screened to catch more dropped pollen. some with two 6" round holes in the back  with screens over the holes.  No conclusions yet.  The best thing I have found  is to hand roll the edge of used aluminum casserole pans to fit the space between the screens.  They are deep enough that the hive can tilt preferably forward without spilling oil.  By doing this I am completely away from the mess, I usually pour the oil in 5 gallon bucket.  I have not made a mess except last week I let a hive escape my grip and it tilted over and spilled the organic oil on the ground where it will return to its organic origin.  I forgot rule one; remove the pan before moving.  I am sure nothing like this ever happened to any of you.  I had no protection except my jacket that was tightly pulled over my head. Did not get any arthritis treatment by the bees. They settled down in 5 minutes.

Joe May said that he use to make the solid bottom boards with holes in the back, with #8 hardware cloth, (screen), and a jar underneath with oil inside. I am thinking that he told me that he no longer is doing this. As I had ask him in the comment section. You might want to check out his video if you haven't already>
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline MikeyN.C.

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 525
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2019, 04:58:38 pm »
BF, you can make a slide in drawer from the back under sbb. And shellac the inside it will hold oil. But you better make sure it is bee proof if not bees will try and get in through bottom of screen and drowned.
I had a friend that used them , i thought it was to much work. Using old frying oil and it smell's after awhile.
Logged

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2019, 05:12:07 pm »
Quote from: MikeyN.C. on February 12, 2019, 04:58:38 pm
BF, you can make a slide in drawer from the back under sbb. And shellac the inside it will hold oil. But you better make sure it is bee proof if not bees will try and get in through bottom of screen and drowned.
I had a friend that used them , i thought it was to much work. Using old frying oil and it smell's after awhile.

Thanks Mikey, I lost a hive last year to these little rascals. Paus along with others turned me toward oil pans with screened bottom boards. Worked good, I was stingy with my oil so I put water in the oil trays, added Mothers apple cider vinegar, just enough to reach a smell in the water, mixed slightly with a plastic spoon, them added enough oil to float on top creating a (seal) hoping to slow down everapation of the water. Worked great! Also little to no mold! Never stunk, but that was late in the season. Now if I can just find a quick easy effective and efficient way to make up custom fitted oil trays, I  feel I wil have the SHB problem nipped  n the bud. HOPEFULLY 😊😁. Thanks Mikey
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13532
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2019, 09:22:39 pm »
Ben,
Have you tried Flexseal? It comes as a spray or brush on paint. It does take about 24 hours to dry.
It does seal in water/oil real well.
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline van from Arkansas

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1900
  • Gender: Male
  • Van from Arkansas.
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2019, 10:30:07 pm »
BenFramed: .Also little to no mold! Never stunk, but that was late in the season.

Mr Ben, hope issues are better with your Dad.

-Regarding your above quote {Never stunk} remember honeybees have a sense of smell that is hundreds of times greater than humans.

-Further I use apple cider vinegar as a deterrent to honeybees.  To make a wasp and moth traps , I use water sugar banana peel and vinegar.  I do not catch honey bees but I catch yellow jackets, bald face hornets, European Hornets, few red wasp and loads of moths.  If I leave off the vinegar, I will catch honey bees.

-I tried oil trays, to much black nasty mold so I switched to diaton earth, food grade.  Works with my Freeman bottom board that has a virtual airtight tray.  Freeze spray is a must for mites running into cells if you don?t mind the price.

May your bees prosper, Buddy.
Logged
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2019, 06:17:15 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 12, 2019, 09:22:39 pm
Ben,
Have you tried Flexseal? It comes as a spray or brush on paint. It does take about 24 hours to dry.
It does seal in water/oil real well.
Jim

No I haven't Jim, thanks, this may be the answer. And readly available! 
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2019, 06:26:34 am »
Quote from: Stinger13 on February 12, 2019, 10:30:07 pm
BenFramed: .Also little to no mold! Never stunk, but that was late in the season.

Mr Ben, hope issues are better with your Dad.

-Regarding your above quote {Never stunk} remember honeybees have a sense of smell that is hundreds of times greater than humans.

-Further I use apple cider vinegar as a deterrent to honeybees.  To make a wasp and moth traps , I use water sugar banana peel and vinegar.  I do not catch honey bees but I catch yellow jackets, bald face hornets, European Hornets, few red wasp and loads of moths.  If I leave off the vinegar, I will catch honey bees.

-I tried oil trays, to much black nasty mold so I switched to diaton earth, food grade.  Works with my Freeman bottom board that has a virtual airtight tray.  Freeze spray is a must for mites running into cells if you don?t mind the price.

May your bees prosper, Buddy.

Thank you for asking, he is making progress, though slow. He had another set back with pneumonia . But seems to be making progress just the same.
Yes sir, I understand what you are telling me about the mothers, perhaps the thin layer of oil on top seals the vinigar scent which is in the water, enough to not annoy the bees? They didn't seem to mind it last fall. The real test will be this spring and summer when the heat of the summer rolls around. Jim was telling me last year that the more beetles which were trapped, drowned; the more they, the beetles,  seemed to be attracted. Did I get that right Jim?  Thanks for your input friends.
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13532
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2019, 07:29:25 am »
Ben,
That is correct. The dead beetles seem to attract more beetles. I have had 2 local commercial beeks also tell me that also.
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2019, 10:17:44 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 13, 2019, 07:29:25 am
Ben,
That is correct. The dead beetles seem to attract more beetles. I have had 2 local commercial beeks also tell me that also.
Jim

Good, what could be better, considering the reality that they are probably here to stay. Its comforting to know that we have an effective method of knocking their socks off, so to speak.....Thank you Jim, Paus, Mr Van-Stinger13, and MikeyNC.
Phillip
« Last Edit: February 13, 2019, 10:51:37 am by Ben Framed »
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13532
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2019, 10:58:22 am »
Phillip,
One SBB with an oil trap will kill more beetles than 10 hives with beetle traps.
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2019, 11:04:06 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 13, 2019, 10:58:22 am
Phillip,
One SBB with an oil trap will kill more beetles than 10 hives with beetle traps.
Jim

This is a comfort to know Jim. Let me ask you, and you may have already told me and my mind may have slipped, haa haa, and this wouldn't be the first time I must confess  :grin:   Do you have the SBB oil tray combination under each hive or do you skip along X number of hives and place another?  What about you other guys?  This is Interesting to me.
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13532
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2019, 03:06:17 pm »
Phillip,
I originally made all of my bottoms with oil trays and the first couple of years I had oil in all of them. I used them and the closest Beek also used them. When I had 12 hives with oil, every one of them had solid black trays, full of beetles, every month until winter. That spring, I and my neighbor both had very few beetles and we both stopped putting oil in the trays. I did continue to open the trays and kill the ones in the trays. I also kill them in the screen top boards.
My bees have also learned how to deal with them. Our population of SHBs, here at the farm is very low. 
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2019, 03:18:42 pm »
Awesome. Even though the pans are empty now without the oil,  I am supposing that the old smell of the oil and beetles which was once there will still draw the SHB through the screen, hopefully detouring them from going straight up into the hives. Or perhaps the bees chase them down? Or maybe some of both?  Irreguardless, I am glad for you that you and your neighbor did such a swell job getting them under control!  Really Jim y'all had more that a problem, sounds as if you were infested. It is encouraging to me that an extreme problem such as y'all had can be handled. I really appreciate you sharing this with us.
Phillip
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13532
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2019, 03:23:03 pm »
Phillip,
The reason the beetles end up in the oil tray is because the bees harass them on the comb and they fall on the SBB and then into the tray. There is usually pollen in it so when dry you have to check them weekly.
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #16 on: February 13, 2019, 03:24:48 pm »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 13, 2019, 03:23:03 pm
Phillip,
The reason the beetles end up in the oil tray is because the bees harass them on the comb and they fall on the SBB and then into the tray. There is usually pollen in it so when dry you have to check them weekly.
Jim
.

Great stuff Jim!!!
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Joe D

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2246
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2019, 12:21:15 am »
I had the slide out trays with oil under the sbb for awhile, then I switched over to water with some cheap dish washing liquid in it.  In the heat of summer you have to check levels of mixture and add more water.  It doesn't smell like the oil when you have dead shbs.  I do have water close to my hives.  I don't have a lot but in my figuring a bees life isn't long in the spring and summer so I have a waterer within a few feet  to the hives with a Styrofoam for them to land on, the less they have to go for water the longer they should be able to bring in pollen and nectar.  Just my thoughts on that.   Yep, I still do get carried away some times.  Oh, and the soapy water when needing to be replaced I just take out a little ways from hives and dump it out, rinse it with fresh water and refill with the water/ dish washing liquid.

Good luck to you and your bees,

Joe D

Logged

Offline Ben Framed

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 12650
  • Mississippi Zone 7
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #18 on: February 14, 2019, 01:41:58 am »
Thanks Joe, do your slide out trays fit wall to wall below your screen bottom board? (Cover the whole bottom) ?
Logged
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline CoolBees

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1397
  • Gender: Male
Re: Thoughts On Bottom Board Oil Trays
« Reply #19 on: February 14, 2019, 02:47:19 am »
I've always had a question about bottom trays - it doesn't seem right [to me] to put something so "smelly" in a hive. It seems like the bees wouldn't "like" it (for lack of a more technical term).

If you've got a major problem - then you have too, for sure. ... I just wish there was some data regarding how things like oil trays affect the ecosystem (communication? Balance?) in a hive. ... just my thoughts really.

(Disclosure: It's easy for me to say this - I don't have the problem)

Good thread Phillip - this question has been "bugging" me, and I hope you don't mind.

Alan
Logged
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up
« previous next »