Slanted rack as well as Screened bottom ?

[steveouk]

I've been told to get screened bottoms for controlling mites. I've been looking and reading about slanted racks for improved circulation and better brood distribution.

can you use both in conjunction with each other. would mights just fall on to the slanted rack and crawl back up ???

[Moonshae]

Some slatted racks align with the frames, so the mites fall between the frames, between the slats, and through the screen. Using them together is fine. The slatted rack helps improve hive ventilation, and gives the bees some cluster space.

[Michael Bush]

Just buy the slatted rack, nail some #8 hardware cloth on the bottom and call it a bottom board.  Prop the top up to make a top entrance with a couple of shingle shims.  :)

[steveouk]

whats the advantage of a top entrance Micheal ?

[KONASDAD]

I use both myself and have no problems. really helps in summer along w/ vented top.

[SteveSC]

Per: MB

Just buy the slatted rack, nail some #8 hardware cloth on the bottom and call it a bottom board.  Prop the top up to make a top entrance with a couple of shingle shims. 

Now why didn't I think of that.  I have a stack of 20 each (SBBs and slatted racks) I just made.  I'll turn the slatted racks into combos...  Thanks MB - good idea.

[Brian D. Bray]

I use both SCBs and Slatted racks.  The racks I make are different than what's commercially available.  You want the slats to go the same direction of the frames and use round or square stock instead of flat stock in making the slats.  I build mine, now by laying 2X4 on the side, making the inside of the bottom the same side as the inside of the hive body.  I lay down #8 hardware cloth then build a slatted rack on top by using 7/8-1 inch dowling in a 1X2 frame.  It gives the have more stability and since I use upper entrances, for ventilation and pest control, the bees suck the air up from the bottom through the screen, using the slatted rack as a fanning platform, and blows the air out the top entrance.  That's one way air flow, most hives with standard tops and/or bottoms are forced to circulate the air up into the hive on one side and down and out on the other side.  The slatted racks also provide a thermal air layer between the bottom board and the hive so that the screen can be left open year around.

[Michael Bush]

>whats the advantage of a top entrance Micheal ?

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#topentrance