Bees at the back of the hive

[DuaneB]

Hi everyone,
New beek here.  My bees have been exploring their new environment for a couple of days now.  I have a screened bottom with a slot for a IPM board or beetle tray.  I had the IPM board in place for a couple of days as it was cool and rainy.  I will go out and observe the entrance.  I could spend hours doing that.  Anyways, I've noticed that about a dozen bees act like they think the back of the hive, where you slide in the IPM, is the how to get into the hive,even though you cant. 

Is this anything to be concerned about?  Is there any way to convince them otherwise?

Thanks,
Duane

[moebees]

Yeah. Get solid bottom boards.

[herbhome]

Duane,

I have screened and solid bottom boards. I really recommend you leave the board in place. Leaving the screen open messes up the bees own attempts to control the air flow and temp within the hive.

Neill

[BeeMaster2]

Duane,
You could put a piece of tape across it until they stop trying to use it.
Jim

[little john]

This is often a problem when introducing a new colony into hives with an Open Mesh Floor - as Jim suggests, the best solution is to block-off any route into the space under the mesh.  If tape will do the job - fine.

I use purpose-made closures (seen below in natural wood) when rotating hives fitted with OMF's (as we call them) during queen-rearing with Cloake Boards, as sudden changes to the entrance location - as when here, the back of the hive suddenly becomes the front - can otherwise cause confusion.



In the above case the closure is only in place for 24 hrs, after which the hive is returned to it's normal orientation and the closure removed to allow maximum ventilation, as I find mesh floors to be essential when such a large number of bees are crammed into a relatively small box.
'best
LJ

[Acebird]

IMO the IPM board should never be in because it is too close to the screen.  The SBB should be 2 inches above the IPM board or collection tray so the mites can't get back into the hive.  The area below the screen should be blocked at all times except to retrieve the tray.  There is no good reason to use a SBB as a ventilating device.  It prevents the bees from using a lower entrance to regulate the hive which is what they will do if the screened area is closed off.

[little john]

There is no good reason to use a SBB as a ventilating device.  It prevents the bees from using a lower entrance to regulate the hive which is what they will do if the screened area is closed off.

In summer, if sufficient ventilation is not provided bees will beard outside of the hive.  OMF's (SBBs) can prevent that from occurring.
In winter, the bees will very often be clustered well away from the entrance, and while clustered have no means of regulating anything except the cluster temperature.  An open OMF (SBB) will provide ventilation under those conditions.

If Open Mesh Floors are such a bad idea - how is it that I am not losing colonies as a result - by pure chance ?
LJ

[Acebird]

If Open Mesh Floors are such a bad idea - how is it that I am not losing colonies as a result - by pure chance ?

LJ I never said they are a bad idea.  I have them under my hives.  Bearding is not a bad thing. That is how bees regulate ventilation.  Opening the screen in the floor means they have to go back in to choke it off.  Just because you don't lose hives doesn't mean you are not doing something against their wishes.