A few of us are trying it. I'm not a believer in it myself because, after
hearing conflicting stories about natural bee tree cavities have clean /
grungy floors, I asked some people who have looked in many tree cavities.
They said bees leave the floor messy UNTIL comb gets built down to within
1-2" and then they clean and propolise the floor.
Also hygienic bees seem to keep their floors clean.
Also I think floor debris is a great place for pests to hide, I have heard
several people comment how the bees propolise over large lumps they cannot
remove.
Bees however are v adaptable. So far I am unaware of any correlation
between eco floors and any particular problem. But I don't think anyone's
done any comparison tests.
Paul
On Fri, 9 Apr 2021, 20:14 Robin Colyer, <robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Has anybody tried the ‘eco floor’ approach? I.e. a piece of plastic
guttering strapped to the underside and filled with wood chips, birch bark
etc? I’ve read about it but not hear any mention of it in the group.
On Fri, 9 Apr 2021 at 18:33, Kerry Dawson <kerrydawson99@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Thanks Gino, what an amazing picture. The bees have certainly tried to--
cover up the mesh.
*From: *Gino Sprio <gino@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Sent: *09 April 2021 14:03
*To: *oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject: *[oxnatbees] Re: Converting a National to a Natural?
Hi,
I'm attaching a picture of the bottom of one of my Top Bar hives.
The colony (a swarm which moved in of its own accord, probably from one
of my nearby hives) didn't make it through the winter.
This hive was built several years ago and has been in use for at least
seven years.
When it was made, mesh floors were the thing and I didn't know any
better. I added a solid floor beneath the mesh a few years ago.
The section photographed is in front of the entrances (notice how they
have been propolised down to one or two bee size for the winter) and is
where the brood nest is in the hive.
Looking closely at the mesh floor, you can see that the bees have
propolised the whole section beneath the brood comb. This suggests that
they would rather there wasn't mesh there.
I don't use mesh floors any more except on nuc boxes which can overheat
in the summer.
The lumps of propolis on the hive wall are also interesting.
Gino
On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 at 17:59, Kerry Dawson <kerrydawson99@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi Everyone,
I have a TBH and a Golden hive and I am toying with the ideal of getting
an extra-deep National brood box and an extra-shallow super, supplied by
Heather Bell Bees in Cornwall, where I purchased my TBH. I plan to add two
entrance holes to the side of the brood box (not unlike my TBH and GH). I
like the idea of having standard size parts, such as the frames, easily
available to replace and this company offers the very shallow super for
taking small amounts of honey.
I have asked Heather Bell if they supply solid floors, without mesh –
they don’t. So, I asked this question and wondered what the group thought
about the reply:
*Q: I’m planning to add entrance holes into the side of the brood box
(bit like your TBH which I already have) so for the floor maybe the thick
crown board without a central hole would work instead. Are you able to
supply without a hole?*
*A: **Although colonies will use an **additional **upper entrance as you
describe, it must be an additional entrance. A bottom entrance is
necessary so bees can remove dead bees easily and a solid floor is just a
bad idea; reducing ventilation, encouraging damp, increasing Varroa build
up. That's why we don't use or supply them.*
From my experience (only 2 years), my TBH with holes and my GH with holes
have never had a build up of dead bees. In the case of the TBH there is a
horrible build up of debris beneath the mesh floor, which the bees can’t
clean up and so they rely on me to do it causing more disturbance than I
prefer (I plan to get rid of this just as soon as I am able).
Has anyone done this conversion before and is a bad idea? Eric, I think
you might have?
Kerry
Best wishes,
Robin
*Robin Colyer* he/him
<https://www.bottomline.org/content/support-gender-inclusive-pronouns>
Joint Artistic Director
Flintlock Theatre
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