The primary function of a screened bottom board is mechanical exclusion. It serves as a passive physical filter that allows Varroa mites to fall out of the hive while keeping the bees inside. When mites detach from their hosts due to grooming or hive vibrations, the mesh structure ensures they drop to the ground rather than landing on a solid floor where they could easily reattach to another bee.
Core Insight: Screened bottom boards operate on a principle of physical separation. By replacing the hive floor with mesh, you permanently remove fallen parasites from the colony’s environment, breaking the cycle of re-infection without the immediate use of chemical treatments.
The Mechanics of Physical Control
Passive Separation via Gravity
The fundamental mechanism is gravity combined with a specific mesh aperture.
In a hive with a solid bottom board, a mite that falls off a bee lands on the floor. From there, it can crawl back up and latch onto a passing worker bee, continuing its parasitic lifecycle.
Preventing Re-entry
The screened bottom board interrupts this loop. The mesh is sized precisely to allow debris and mites to pass through, but is too small for bees to exit.
Once a mite falls through the screen, it is physically ejected from the hive. Because Varroa mites cannot fly and have limited mobility on the ground, they are unable to return to the colony, effectively "cleaning" the hive of these detached parasites.
Additional Benefits for Hive Health
Improved Ventilation and Humidity
Beyond mite control, screened bottom boards significantly alter the hive's internal climate.
Supplementary data indicates that these boards enhance air circulation. This increased ventilation assists in humidity control, which is a critical factor for bee health.
Winter Survival Rates
Contrary to the intuition that open screens might freeze the bees, proper humidity control is essential for overwintering.
Excess moisture is often more dangerous to a winter cluster than cold temperatures. By allowing moisture to escape, screened boards can improve survival rates during the colder months.
The Role of Monitoring vs. Control
Converting Control to Data
While the screen itself is a control mechanism (removal), it becomes a monitoring tool when paired with a sticky board or liner.
By sliding a sticky sheet under the screen, beekeepers can catch the falling mites rather than letting them hit the ground. This allows for a precise "natural drop" count.
Non-Invasive Assessment
Using the screen for monitoring allows for the collection of empirical data regarding parasite load.
This method is non-invasive, meaning you can quantify the infestation levels and the effectiveness of grooming behaviors without opening the brood chamber or disturbing the colony structure.
Understanding the Trade-offs
The Limit of Physical Control
While screened bottom boards remove mites that fall, they do not actively kill mites attached to bees.
They should be viewed as a supplementary cultural control method that reduces the overall load, rather than a standalone cure for a heavy infestation.
Integrity of Monitoring Data
If you utilize the board for monitoring (using sticky liners), you must account for biological loss.
Scavenger insects, such as ants, may remove mites from the board before you count them. Using sticky substances is essential to trap the mites in place and deter scavengers, ensuring your statistical data remains accurate.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
To maximize the utility of screened bottom boards, you must define your immediate objective:
- If your primary focus is reducing pathogen pressure: Rely on the open screen to facilitate the permanent removal of fallen mites and improve hive ventilation.
- If your primary focus is infestation analysis: Insert a sticky board beneath the screen to capture naturally falling mites for a 24-48 hour period to calculate the daily mite drop.
By integrating screened bottom boards, you leverage simple physics to reduce parasitic load, creating a cleaner, more resilient environment for your colony.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Physical Control Mechanism | Benefit to Hive Health |
|---|---|---|
| Passive Separation | Mesh allows mites to fall through via gravity | Permanently removes parasites from the hive environment |
| Ventilation | Increased airflow through the hive floor | Regulates humidity and reduces winter moisture buildup |
| Monitoring | Pair with sticky boards for 'natural drop' counts | Provides non-invasive data on mite infestation levels |
| Safety | Precise mesh aperture size | Prevents bees from exiting while ejecting debris and mites |
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References
- S.A. Adebayo, S. O. Adewale. Mathematical Analysis of Eco-System Stability of Honeybee Colony Infected by Virus. DOI: 10.51584/ijrias.2022.7102
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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