I have the hive set and full but wondering if I should add the mite counter board? Should I leave it off for a while or add it now? I imagine it impedes the air flow a bit.
I leave mine in all the time. I actually prefer to leave it in the upper slot, as I don’t believe that the SBB assists much in varroa management, and we don’t have SHB here, yet…
Counterintuitively, closing the bottom probably improves ventilation because the bees fan to generate laminar flow of air around the hive. If you leave the bottom open, it is much harder for them to get the air circulating the way they want it. After all, they evolved to build nests in hollow trees without a screen in the bottom! 
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That you Dawn I appreciate the quick response. I went and put it in. It seemed to make them more active in the front too.
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