Here in Idaho it’s about 95°, I have the front entrance reducer on because it’s a new hive. I remove the back airflow vent completely and put popsicle sticks under the inner cover…
Does anyone take out the bottom board that also catches small beetles completely out??
I had the same question a couple of weeks ago because my bees were bearding. I was told to take the entrance reducer off in the summer due to high temps like you are having. I also took my bottom board tray out for more ventilation and put popsicle sticks in like you did. Not sure if this advise is right or wrong since am new but i did it and no more bearding.
Great and no honey robbing or fighting?? I just added a second brood box Sunday, so they probably aren’t “weak” now??
@Clayton_Ogilvie I came here searching for answers to the same questions about removing the yellow bottom tray and whether or not I should open the entrance all the way. I currently have a 4" opening. Our heat has been ranging from 103 - 108 with no relief in sight. I’ve only seen a small amount of bearding on/around the entrance/landing board, but I’m sure it’s hot inside. I can hear them in there. Also, my hive is in the shade under trees, but it’s still so hot out.
I was hoping someone that’s been doing beekeeping for a while would comment on these questions about whether or not we should remove the yellow bottom board, and whether or not we should open the entrance up all the way, in this hot weather. Also, is cracking open the inner cover with popsicle sticks for ventilation, a good idea?
Hey 
I took the yellow board tray completely out and that helped them not beard in the evening. Then put it back on and they went back out for a week. So I’m just leaving it out when it’s above 90.
I was told to keep the front entrance reduce her on until the second broox box is full. And then there’s this guy on YouTube “The Way To Bee”, he said that, even though everyone talks about venting the top lid. It’s better to have it sealed with no popsicle sticks.
I have been beekeeping for well over 30 years, and my husband has been doing it for almost 50 years. We both say leave the bottom board/tray in place, leave the entrance at about 6 inches or 15cm wide, and do not prop up the inner cover.
Bees use laminar flow by fanning their wings to cool the hive. If you disrupt this with bigger entrances and no floor in the hive, you are working against them. My good friend @JeffH would ask you to watch the YouTube video “City of the Bees”. You can ignore the religious message, but the observations on the hive are priceless.
I would also suggest finding or making a slatted rack. It goes on top of the bottom board (hive floor) and provides extra space for bees to hang out and fan the hive. My bees almost never beard in a hive with a slatted rack, with temps up to the low 90’s and humidities of 60%+. Mann Lake has them.
Another vote for not opening the bottom. If you think about it the bees work very hard in hot weather to cool the hive, cool air is denser so it sinks. If you open the entrance too much or remove the bottom tray the cooler air simply falls out. Then the bees just have to keep cooling more air and the cycle continues. This would be a big stress on your bees.
Also, the open bottom is just a great big entrance for bugs to get into the hive which stresses the guard bees more as they have to patrol a much bigger area.
Unlike Dawn I have a baffled top vent on my hive to let the hotter air escape slowly, baffling it is important so you don’t just end up with a chimney effect.
This system works well here where summer routinely gets over 40 degrees C and my hives are in full sun. Also, I have never gone for trying to make my hives works of art, they are all painted white to reflect heat.
Cheers
Rob.
Just to be clear, I am not at odds with Rob @Rmcpb. Don’t prop up the inner cover, because that may create a “chimney effect”, depending on your hive structure. Baffling is a very intriguing concept, and I see that it could work very well.
Thanks Dawn! I remembered reading about how bees cool the hive and had a feeling that taking out the bottom tray might disrupt that cooling process, so I left it in. However I was still concerned, so thought I should ask in here and make sure I wasn’t causing them further distress by leaving it in. I guess I’ll leave things as they are, other than maybe I should look for an entrance reducer with a 6" opening, since mine is only 4"?
Can you give an example of what a baffled top is? Any links to what it looks like?
You can make one by gluing together a stack of paint stirrers or craft sticks. Make sure it wedges firmly into the entrance, or the bees will push it out!
