Screened bottom boards function as a passive mechanical filter for the hive. Specifically, they utilize a mesh floor structure—typically 1/8 inch—to physically separate Varroa mites from the colony. When mites dislodge from bees due to grooming or vibration, they fall through the screen and exit the hive completely, rather than landing on a solid floor where they could crawl back up and re-infect a host bee.
Core Insight: The primary value of a screened bottom board is physical isolation. It transforms the hive floor from a catching surface into a permeable barrier, permanently breaking the re-infection cycle for any mite that loses its grip on a host bee.
The Mechanics of Physical Isolation
Exploiting Natural Mite Drop
In a standard colony, Varroa mites frequently detach from honey bees. This detachment occurs naturally or as a result of the bees' grooming behaviors and hive vibrations.
The Mesh Barrier
The screened bottom board replaces the solid wooden floor with a wire mesh, typically featuring a 1/8 inch aperture. This specific size is critical: it is large enough to allow falling mites to pass through freely but small enough for bees to walk on safely without escaping or getting stuck.
Breaking the Re-infection Cycle
On a traditional solid bottom board, a fallen mite lands on the wood, survives, and waits for a passing bee to crawl back onto. The screened board eliminates this opportunity. Once a mite falls through the mesh, it is physically ejected from the colony's environment, preventing it from re-entering brood cells or attaching to adult bees.
Diagnostic and Secondary Functions
Non-Invasive Monitoring
Beyond active control, these boards are essential for diagnosing infestation levels. By sliding a collection tray or "sticky board" underneath the mesh, beekeepers can catch falling mites. Since the mesh prevents bees from cleaning away this debris, it provides an accurate sample of the "natural mite drop," allowing for population estimates without opening the hive.
Post-Treatment Verification
When chemical miticides are applied, the screened board serves a verification role. As the treatment kills the mites, they fall through the mesh onto a collection tray. This prevents worker bees from removing the dead mites, allowing the beekeeper to count the total kill and determine if the treatment was effective.
Pest Trap Integration
Many modern screened boards include rail systems below the mesh to hold trays filled with oil. While the screen handles the mites, the oil tray acts as a trap for small hive beetles, drowning them when they attempt to hide at the bottom of the hive.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Reduction vs. Elimination
It is vital to understand that screened bottom boards are a population reduction tool, not a sterilization method. They lower the overall parasite load by removing fallen mites, but they do not actively kill mites attached to bees or those sealed inside brood cells. They are most effective when used as part of a broader Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy.
Sampling Accuracy
For diagnostic purposes, the data is only as good as the collection method. Using a simple tray without a sticky substance can lead to errors, as wind or scavenger insects (like ants) may remove the mite samples. To ensure statistical integrity, sticky boards should be used to secure the fallen mites for counting.
Integrating This Hardware into Your Apiary
The screened bottom board acts as both a shield and a gauge. Depending on your immediate management objectives, its role shifts from passive defense to active analysis.
- If your primary focus is Passive Control: Leave the bottom open (without a tray) to ensure a continuous, maintenance-free "dumping" of mites to the ground, permanently removing them from the hive ecosystem.
- If your primary focus is Infestation Analysis: Insert a sticky board beneath the screen for 24-72 hours to capture the natural mite drop and calculate the colony's infestation percentage.
- If your primary focus is Treatment Verification: Install a collection tray immediately after applying miticides to capture the "kill drop," ensuring the chemical application successfully reduced the mite population.
By mechanically separating the parasite from the host, the screened bottom board provides a non-chemical baseline of defense that lowers the overall pressure on the colony.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Functionality | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 Inch Mesh | Physically separates falling mites from bees | Breaks the re-infection cycle |
| Sticky Board Tray | Captures mites for population sampling | Non-invasive diagnostic monitoring |
| Passive Filtration | Allows mites to fall completely out of the hive | Lowers parasite load without chemicals |
| Integrated Rails | Holds oil trays for secondary pest control | Dual-action mite and hive beetle management |
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References
- Attila Dénes, Mahmoud A. Ibrahim. Global dynamics of a mathematical model for a honeybee colony infested by virus-carrying Varroa mites. DOI: 10.1007/s12190-019-01250-5
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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