# General beekeeping > Alternative beekeeping >  KTBH mesh floor

## Nui

Hi guys, I've gone for a KTBH and it has a mesh floor. Does anyone cover/block their mesh floor in winter to stop cold wind from getting in or do you not bother?

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## Neils

I don't bother on my box hives and friends I know who use tbh tend not to bother even if they've built an insert or hinge on the bottom.

With the combs drawn I think the air movement is reasonably minimal. I know a few people who monitor temperature within Hives and it is remarkably stable, even post inspection, regardless of the hive type.

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## Nui

Ok, thank you, Neils. I'll monitor how it goes at the time.

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## Mellifera Crofter

> ... With the combs drawn I think the air movement is reasonably minimal. I know a few people who monitor temperature within Hives and it is remarkably stable ...


That's interesting - makes me feel slightly less worried about the effect of the wind on my hives.  But still, Nui, I keep my varroa boards in, although I've drilled a few holes in them (like Neil - box hives).

I'm busy making a TBH and was going to use a mesh floor, then realised I haven't considered how to make the varroa insert and close the hive when necessary - so I've changed my mind.  I'm now going to use a hinged solid floor with a few holes in it (covered with mesh) for ventilation.  I'm scared of the wind blowing into my hives.

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## Nui

My problem is that I'm 360 feet up with nothing between me and the north pole so, like you, wind can be a real problem especially at the start of this past winter when we had gusts of around 80 mph in rapid succession - doesn't matter where your hives are in those winds. Thankfully they're not frequently of that scale but this year was the exception early on in the winter.

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## gavin

Are you sure that a KTBH is the way to go in your environment?   The failure rate for beginners in better insulated, more easily managed hives is high enough already.  I have to say however that I'm assuming your site is even worse than Mellifera Crofter's - things might be different if you were on some soft southern hill rather than looking out across the wild seas from a hill near Thurso or on the Isle of Lewis (not that Lewis has hills, they all blew down ages ago).

If you are sure I gather Drumgerry in Speyside had some going spare if you are near him, but when I last heard of them he was planning converting them to troughs for alpines, self-disposing barbeques and other items of garden furniture!

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## Nui

It should be fine for me because weather like that isn't normal - yet. Usually it's not that cold or stormy and where my hive is is normally quiet and only really bothered by westerly winds that are usually warm.

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## gavin

Ah, did wonder - hence the edit above.

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## snimmo243

> self-disposing barbeques and other items of garden furniture!


Excellent

Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk

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## chris

> With the combs drawn I think the air movement is reasonably minimal. .


From my observation of drawn comb, without foundation, the cells at the bottom are angled slightly downwards and this probably acts as a buffer against incoming wind.

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