Glossary
The floor of a beehive that supports all the hive components above it. Bottom boards come in two types: solid (a flat wooden board providing insulation and weather protection) and screened (a wooden frame with #8 hardware cloth mesh that allows mite drop-through, improved ventilation, and integrated pest monitoring).
The bottom board is the base of the entire hive stack. It provides structural support, determines the entrance configuration (most bottom boards include an entrance reducer slot at the front), and significantly affects hive ventilation, pest management, and moisture control. The choice between solid and screened bottom boards is one of the most debated topics in modern beekeeping.
A screened bottom board replaces the solid wooden floor with #8 hardware cloth mesh. Mites that fall off bees (naturally or after treatment) drop through the screen and out of the hive rather than being recycled back onto bees. This provides continuous passive mite reduction. When a white sticky board (corrugated plastic coated with cooking spray or petroleum jelly) is inserted under the screen, fallen mites stick to it. Counting mites on the sticky board over 24 to 72 hours provides a natural mite fall estimate without disturbing the colony. Many beekeepers consider the screened bottom board the single most important integrated pest management tool available.
Solid boards provide better insulation in cold climates, preventing cold air from drafting up through the cluster from below. They are simpler, cheaper, and require less management. In mild climates like Florida, the insulation advantage is minimal and the ventilation disadvantage is significant, making screened bottom boards the standard choice for subtropical beekeeping.
In warm and moderate climates (like Florida): screened bottom board is strongly recommended for year-round ventilation and varroa monitoring. In very cold climates: many beekeepers switch to solid bottom boards for winter insulation and revert to screened for spring/summer. Some use screened year-round with a removable solid insert for winter.
Insert a white sticky board (white corrugated plastic coated with cooking spray) under the screen mesh. Leave it for 24 to 72 hours. Remove and count the varroa mites (small, reddish-brown, oval dots). Divide total mites by number of days to get daily natural mite fall. Above 10 mites per day in a strong colony suggests treatment is needed.
Keep Learning
Browse hundreds of terms covering honey, beekeeping, and natural skincare.