Does hive have to slant with SBB?

[tillie]

All the bee books say that the hive should be at a slight slant to allow water to drain out and not accumulate in the bottom of the hive. 

It seems to me with an open Screened Bottom Board and a slatted rack that the slant is no longer necessary.  I didn't slant either hive last year, but want to do everything better this year, so if I should be pushing a shim under the back of my hives, please let me know.

Linda T trying to be a better Atlanta beekeeper

[KONASDAD]

You don't want the water to drip on the clustering bees in winter, in addition to accumulating on bottom board. The cold water can kill them. So, I would keep a small slant personally to insure the drips fall in one area so the bees could avoid any condensation that falls from above, even though it wont accumulate w/ a SBB.

[Kathyp]

you might want to slide the bottom board in during the winter.  in that case, you'll want the hive slanted to make sure water does not sit on that board.

[annette]

Linda T

You asked the same question I had as I have screened bottom boards and did not see the need for the slant. I just split my hive 2 weeks ago and did not slant this hive due to the SSB, but now I understand the need.

By the way, I read your blog all the time and have so thoroughly enjoyed it, since we are both new at this having both started April 2006. Stay in touch as I read this all the time.
Annette in Placerville

[tillie]

If your CA climate is anything like Atlanta's, the need may still not be there - I never closed the SBB all winter and it was only cold enough for my heavy coat about 4 days this winter, so the cold rain issue may not really matter in the deep South or in CA.

Linda T

[KONASDAD]

I get frigid weather for a few weeks. I aslo want to know if northern beeks leave SBB alone on all winter. I put the bottom board on under my SBB this winter and it went well, but theres always room for improvement.

[Kathyp]

it'll probably matter in Placerville.  it gets pretty chilly there in the winter.  my family lives in that area.  their winters are pretty cold and the summers are HOT.  less rain is a big +.

annette, is that still Placer Co?  i'd love to know if there are any restrictions on beekeeping in the country.  i have been trying to talk my mom into a hive or two, but she's sure that there are some regulations that would keep her from doing it.

[Michael Bush]

My SBB have a flat piece of corrugated plastic.  It matters not if it's slanted as the water will drain out at whatever edge it runs to.

[annette]

Kathy

it'll probably matter in Placerville.  it gets pretty chilly there in the winter.  my family lives in that area.  their winters are pretty cold and the summers are HOT.  less rain is a big +.

annette, is that still Placer Co?  i'd love to know if there are any restrictions on beekeeping in the country.  i have been trying to talk my mom into a hive or two, but she's sure that there are some regulations that would keep her from doing it.

Kathy,

It can get really cold here for about 3 months December thru Feb. Usually gets down in the 30's-40's at night, but gets back up to the 50-70's during the day.  But most winters we have lots of rain, although, not this winter. We do have a natural drought for about 7-8 months.I left my SSB open this winter and the bees did just fine, in fact, to fine. They were overpopulated this spring and I seem to have had a small swarm leave me about 3 weeks ago.Had to split because of that and so now I have 2 hives. I am living in El Dorado County and I do not know of any restrictions on beekeeping. I have my 2 hives on a 20 acre parcel so no one even knows. But there are a lot of beekeepers around here on much smaller acreage. If your mom wants to keep bees, just have her speak to her closest neighbor who may see them.

My SBB have a flat piece of corrugated plastic.  It matters not if it's slanted as the water will drain out at whatever edge it runs to.

Also thank you Michael Bush, for that piece of info as I really do not want to slant the hives anymore if now unnecessary.

[annette]

Michaell

I think I am misunderstanding your quote. Did you say to slant, or not to slant?????

[Michael Bush]

>I think I am misunderstanding your quote. Did you say to slant, or not to slant?

I'm saying with the flat trays (no lip) on my SBB (from Brushy Mt.) I do not slant them at all and it would serve no purpose to.  I can't say how everyones trays are constructed and whether it would matter on theirs or not.

[Brian D. Bray]

I build my bottom boards so that all areas between the bee space rails on each side of the bottom board is mesh.  I don't inset the screen at all--wall to wall screen.
In that fashion their is no real need to slant the hives in any direction.  Before SBBs it was necessary to slant the hive so that the entrance was slightly lower than the rear of the hive so that moisture would drain out the entrance.  With SBBs that is no longer necessary.

[indypartridge]

I get frigid weather for a few weeks. I aslo want to know if northern beeks leave SBB alone on all winter. I put the bottom board on under my SBB this winter and it went well, but theres always room for improvement.

I have a SBB with a slot for a sticky-board to slide in so I can count mites. My first winter with bees, I left the sticky-board in all winter and the bees did fine (the sticky-board was a mess, though). My second winter I left the sticky-board out - leaving just the SBB. We had a cold snap, nearly 4 weeks of sub-zero temps in the 0-to-15 degree range. The bees again did fine and I don't have a gunked-up sticky board to clean.

[tig]

i liked your blog too!