Slatted Racks Like 'em or leave 'em?

[fatscher]

Let me hear from everyone on the opinions on slatted racks. Richard Bonney of Massachusetts is highly in favor of them. I bought S.R.s this year for all my hives to experiment with. It would seem intuitively they relieve congestion. Pros and Cons???

[mike haney]

the trouble and expense would seem to outweigh the benefit except for the hobbyist who does not count his /her time, IMO

[Brent Bean]

I use them on all my hives, they help control swarming, balance ventilation in the hive. Control drafts in winter and will keep that pesky raccoon from being able to reach up and grab some comb.
If you have a table say you can easily make them, a few 2X4’s and you can make a bunch of them.

[Ravenseye]

They have their place, especially in regards to ventilation and swarming. Certainly, it gives a cluster bottom room to beard if necessary. The real question is slatted versus solid or screened. Mine are screened but I always have some slatted around for various reasons.

[michael-bees]

I have slatted racks on most hives. But I have noticed a difference in mites on the hives without racks and sbb open. I also put the racks on for the same reasons as everyone else. I wonder if anyone has actually experimented with these or just repeating what everyone says they do. Weren't they designed and used before we had mites? I am not saying I like or dislike them. But I wonder. Hollow trees dont have them. I dont think.

[JPK]

When you refer to "Slatted" what do you mean?

This isn't another name for a Top Bar is it?

[Bizzybee]

I fail to see the difference in the use of slatted vs screened with the exception that slatted is going to cause problems if you have bees that tend to rob.

I see people using the term bearding and swarming together as if they are synonymous. While bearding can indicate overcrowding, it also and more often means poor ventilation in warm weather. But bearding from lack of ventilation does not indicate swarm. Open bottoms in any form is going to reduce or eliminate bearding, but ventilation is not going to reduce swarming due to overcrowding. The statement that slatted reduces swarming doesn't seem to ever include the mention of SBB's but is implied that they do so better than SBB's as an inclusion.

I'm afraid I would have to reject any notion that slatted racks can or will reduce swarming any more than SBB's. The advantage of keeping out invaders large and small with SBB's makes them more attractive than slatted bottoms.

[wildbranch2007]

I don't use them anymore, but found that when not using them my bees would either eat out the part of the frames nearest the entrance or use alot of propalis on that part of the frame. also the didn't lay as much brood in the lower box. Since I now use three deeps instead of two they don't do any of the above so I don't use them.

mike

[michael-bees]

I fail to see the difference in the use of slatted vs screened with the exception that slatted is going to cause problems if you have bees that tend to rob.

I see people using the term bearding and swarming together as if they are synonymous. While bearding can indicate overcrowding, it also and more often means poor ventilation in warm weather. But bearding from lack of ventilation does not indicate swarm. Open bottoms in any form is going to reduce or eliminate bearding, but ventilation is not going to reduce swarming due to overcrowding. The statement that slatted reduces swarming doesn't seem to ever include the mention of SBB's but is implied that they do so better than SBB's as an inclusion.

I'm afraid I would have to reject any notion that slatted racks can or will reduce swarming any more than SBB's. The advantage of keeping out invaders large and small with SBB's makes them more attractive than slatted bottoms.

I'M with you. I think there is alot of follow the leader out there.

[beemandan]

Effects of the slatted rack on brood production and its distribution in the brood nest. Delaplane, K.S. 1999. American Bee Journal 139(6): 474-476

Abstract In newly-installed package colonies, the slatted rack significantly increased the proportion of colony brood being reared near hive entrances, but did not affect overall quantity of brood produced. The experiment was replicated over three years.

[Joseph Clemens]

All of my full-size hives (eight-frame wide and usually with nine medium-depth frames in the brood area supers) have been converted to bottom boards that have #8 hardware cloth as the bottom outside layer and above that a built-in slatted rack for the bees to cluster on. This bottom board effectively closes the bottom of the hive, except to air for ventilation and all hives have upper entrances. Bearding - if it happens, happens around the entrances and does not directly contribute to convection heating inside the hives. In some brood supers I have even installed slatted racks on each inside sidewall (together they replace one frame).

Here is an example of bearding in a hive configured this way: Bearding in July (http://www.wjclemens.com/cordovan-honeybee/images/Bearding/01Jul08_024_Hive2.jpg)

[Michael Bush]

I like them, but they are hard to find in 8 frame (Betterbee's are 14" and my hives are 13 3/4") and it's one more piece of equipment to buy and assemble and take care of. So, while I have owned and used quite a number of them, none of my hives currently have one. They do help with bearding etc.