8 Frame Beehive Base - Mesh Vented Bottom Board With Drawer Trap

Our 8 frame screened bottom board — pine frame fitted with 304 stainless mesh and a slide-out drawer tray. Drops straight onto a standard 8 frame Langstroth hive and gives you ventilation, varroa monitoring and small hive beetle control from one base.

The mesh floor lets debris, varroa mites and small hive beetles fall through, where they're caught on the drawer tray below. Add a chux cloth, light oil or diatomaceous earth (check your state's regulations before using any pesticide product in a hive) to turn the tray into a passive beetle trap. Slide the drawer out to check your mite drop or empty the catch — no hive opening needed.

Specifications

• Fits: standard 8 frame Langstroth hives
• Riser size: approx 19¾ × 14 in (506 × 355 mm)
• Overall size: approx 21⅛ × 14 × 4½ in (535 × 355 × 115 mm)
• Materials: pine frame, 304 stainless steel mesh, galvanized drawer tray
• Options: raw timber, or wax dipped and painted (4 coats)

Wax dipped and painted option

The wax dipped version is dipped in a 50/50 microcrystalline and paraffin wax mix, then painted with four coats. It's the finish commercial beekeepers use because the wax penetrates the grain and seals the timber from the inside, extending the working life well beyond paint alone.

Prefer to build your own or need replacement mesh?

We stock 304 stainless replacement mesh sheets in packs of 5, 10, 20 or 50 — one 19½ × 15³⁄₁₆ in sheet cuts to fit an 8 frame base with offcuts left over.

Browse all beehive bottom boards.

Frequently asked questions

Will the drawer tray catch all the beetles?

With chux cloth, light oil or diatomaceous earth in the tray, yes — small hive beetles chased down through the mesh get stuck in the medium. Without a trapping medium, the tray still gives you ventilation and a surface to count varroa drop on.

Do I need to seal or paint raw timber bases?

Raw timber bases last a few seasons untreated but you'll get much longer life with paint, oil or a wax dip. If you'd rather skip the DIY, pick the wax dipped and painted variant above.

How do I check for varroa with this base?

Slide the drawer out, lay a sticky board or coated card on the tray and leave it 24 to 72 hours. Count the dropped mites and divide by the days for a daily mite drop. For a more sensitive count, pair this with an alcohol wash or sugar shake.

Can I use an 8 frame medium or shallow box with this?

Yes. The riser matches the external footprint of a standard 8 frame Langstroth box so any 8 frame super — deep, medium or shallow — drops straight onto it.