Overview

The screened bottom is an integral part of beekeeping pest management or "IPM". IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management and emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop (or in this case a healthy hive) with the least possible disruption to the agro-ecosystem. When it comes to beekeeping, the pests that are of most concern are Varroa mites. Varroa mites are known to be one of the causes of colony collapse disorder (CCD). Using our screened bottom board in combination with our Sticky Board can reduce the need for chemical control of Varroa through the natural drop of mites from the bees onto the sticky board. Once the Varroa falls from the bees and land on the sticky board, they can no longer travel back up and attach themselves to bees in the hive. There will always be some amount of Varroa within every hive, however, the goal in IPM is to reduce the population of Varroa down to a level where the hive can survive without additional medication. In addition, the screened bottom board not only provides for improved brood production but also for better airflow and ventilation which are highly needed during both the rainy and cooler weather (condensation tends to build up in a hive during rainy, cold weather) and during the warmer, honey flow season (helps to regulate the hive temperature). Made from strong and sturdy pine, our assembled screened bottom board comes with 14 mesh screen (14 squares per inch). It measures 24.5 long by 16.5 wide and will only work on 10-frame hives.