Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

Quote from: Brian D. Bray on September 19, 2008, 12:43:02 AM

Quote from: Pond Creek Farm on September 17, 2008, 09:54:31 PM
I have read in the past of Mr. Bush and others recommendations and preference for top entrances.  Does the slotted rack in such a set up go on top or on the bottom?  Does it have the same benefits for a top entrance hive?  I have them on my bottom entrance hives, but quite frankly I have them because I was told they are good to have.  I have four hives, so I do not have the same expense load of a larger scale beekeeper.

I would recomment both.  A slatted rack can also sub for a queen excluder in that is discourages the queen from going up but the workers will go right through it as the spaces are bee spaces.

I would be interested in who uses a slatted rack as a queen excluder and if it had and benefit in their opinion? Pros/Cons?

Something about this post using a slatted rack as a queen bee excluder don't sound right to me !   :shock:

Every slatted rack I have seen has plenty of space for a Queen & drones to dance Thu, about 3/8 inch or better spacings between slats.

May bee I'm missing something, clue me in.  :?

Bee-Bop

Bee space is to big on top and bottom bees will but in burrr-comb on your slatted rack.Slatted on rack space is to big queen and drones will go throw the rack   




      BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

I've never tried it but I don't see any reason for a queen excluder anyway...

It will work.  I've done it but the slatted rack, as sold commercially needs modification for it to work correctly.
Build your slatted rack so that the slats are 3/4 inch doweling and a bee space of 3/8 inch is preserved...1/4 inch on the bottom side and 3/8 inch on the top side.  Space the bars so they aline with the frames above (below).
In this configuration the bees will not build burr comb in the rack and the thickness of the slats discourages the queen from going up even with proper bees spacing.  I'm not saying she won't occasionally go up, just that she is disinclined to.  I should also mention that the number of brood chambers available to the queen has much to do with whether or not she goes into the supers to lay drone.worker comb in the first place.  3-4 medium brood chambers works much better than 2 deeps in this regard.
The fact that drones will go through it is immaterial, it is much more important to the hive what the drones do outside at drone congrigation points, in the hive they are essentially inert.