Instead of a bottom, a net in a hive: the pros and cons, wintering features and how to make a pallet with your own hands

Usually the bottom of the hives is made of wooden planks, but sometimes it is made of mesh. Consider why a mesh is installed in the hive instead of the bottom, the features of such a design, its advantages and disadvantages. What size should the mesh be, what tools and materials should the beekeeper have. How to make a structure yourself, how to properly keep bees in a hive with a mesh bottom.

Mesh bottom features

There are several options for the mesh bottom, which is installed in a multi-hull hive. Basically, they are installed on hives of small-sized types, as well as those made of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam.They have poor ventilation, so the mesh bottom should help solve this problem.

The design is recognized as ideal for beehives installed in apiaries in regions with a warm climate, when the temperature is 0 … -4 ° C at night, and positive during the day. At night, condensation forms from the heat generated by the club of bees. Drops flow down and freeze at the bottom if it is wooden. The mesh bottom solves the problem of frost and frost.

Pros and cons

Mesh bottoms have both advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages it can be noted:

• maintains a good microclimate in the hive throughout the year;
• protects bees from chemicals used in fields and orchards;
• it is allowed to carry out therapeutic measures in which smoke can be directed through the bottom of the hive without opening the lid;
• improved ventilation;
• maintaining optimal temperature.
• in the spring, mold does not form in the hive, and honey does not ferment;
• when treating varroatosis and destroying pests, they fall down through the net;
• mesh prevents late brood;
• podmor falls on the net, which ensures the maintenance of sanitary cleanliness inside.

There are also cons:

• mesh costs more than wood planks;
• moths can start on it due to wax and pollen.
• the bottom gets bigger due to the props that are installed to support the structure.

Self assembly

This bottom is easy to do on your own. The materials are easy to find on the farm, the drawings are simple, no special knowledge and complex tools are needed.

Let's look at how to make a bottom that is suitable for 12 frame hives such as dadan, root and half frames.

Sizes

Design dimensions: length and width - 52.5 cm, height - 7 cm (with a leg) and 5.5 cm (without a leg). Dimensions of the inner pallet: length and width - 45 cm, height 5 cm. When installing a structure with such dimensions, a space of 2-2.5 cm will be formed under the frames, providing good ventilation.

Required tools and materials

The mesh bottom should be made of stainless steel mesh, other materials are not suitable.

It must withstand moisture in order to last a long time. The metal mesh is not damaged by predators and other insects. The mesh cell size is 2 by 2 mm, the wire should be 0.5 mm thick.You will need pine wood planks with 35 mm thick walls and a sheet of plywood from which the damper will be made. You will also need to take tools: a screwdriver, corners and screws.

Manufacturing instructions

The sequence of making a mesh frame with your own hands is simple:

• Boil blanks in paraffin or wax so that the tree does not rot during operation.
• Assemble the lower frame from the bars, connect the corners with corners and screws.
• Place a grid on it, the size of which should match the size of the frame.
• Press it with bars from above and fasten them with screws.
• Place 4 wooden corners on the sides for the flap.

The mesh bottom for the hive is ready.

How to properly keep bees in a hive with a mesh bottom

The rules for keeping bees in hives with such a bottom are almost the same as in standard hives. But there are a few features to be aware of. During the wintering of the bees, the plywood damper must be closed. When the queen begins to lay eggs, the bottom must also be covered so that the heat does not escape. But when the first bees appear on the notch, the damper must be removed.

At the end of winter, when brood appears, the net must be closed so that the temperature inside rises. In the spring, you need to clean the mesh from debris and dirt, wax crumbs, dead wood accumulated there during the winter season. Moreover, it is necessary not only to clean from above, but to unwind the slats, remove the mesh, clean in the corners (where debris accumulates the most), and then twist everything together again. In addition to cleaning, you will need to disinfect the structure and dry it.

Bees can winter in hives with a mesh bottom both indoors and outdoors. If they stand on the street, then in order to keep warm, the lid does not have to be deaf. But you need to make small holes in the corners and plug them with moss. Canvas in hives with a mesh bottom is not used for the winter.

The bottom of the hive performs the same role as the foundation of the house. It is useful and gives the beekeeper many advantages. The mesh bottom can be purchased, but you can also buy it yourself from the simplest materials at hand. The mesh creates and maintains conditions and a microclimate that becomes as close to natural as possible.

In addition to supporting the microclimate, the bottom ensures the stability of the entire structure, protects the internal parts of the hive from dampness and mold resulting from it. It removes water vapor, keeping the middle dry effortlessly. Air flows freely through the holes. Warmth and dryness contribute to the he alth of the bee family, increase productivity.It is recommended to install such bottoms in the southern regions, where in winter the bees are more likely to suffocate rather than freeze.

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