# Bee Hive Slatted Racks



## Art_Vandelay (Jan 6, 2018)

Do you guys use slatted racks? Situations vary, but I always do. I explain why in this video.


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## spud (Feb 3, 2007)

I use screen bottom boards and freeman trays, no open venting on bottom. That is my only treatment for mites for me so far and has worked well. Not sure if this would be of any benefit for me. I also have very little brood in bottom box after hive gets established, mainly seems to be a holding area for pollen.


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## Art_Vandelay (Jan 6, 2018)

spud said:


> I use screen bottom boards and freeman trays, no open venting on bottom. That is my only treatment for mites for me so far and has worked well. Not sure if this would be of any benefit for me. I also have very little brood in bottom box after hive gets established, mainly seems to be a holding area for pollen.


How's that been working for ya? Do you have a high mortality rate?

I have a Freeman bottom board on one of my hives as a test. I'm hoping to see a big difference in SHB between it and the other hives next year. Seems like the SHBs are getting worse and worse each year.


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## spud (Feb 3, 2007)

Zero SHB problems. Very low mortality rate and only problems so far has been hives that have solid BB. No more SBB for me. The key is too raise queens from hives that survive w/o treatment. I have a mix of long langs and standard langs. Gonna try and keep standards only three boxes deep. My stock is russians and F1 russians, gonna raise queens this year and sell nuc's. I've seen bees transferred into a hive with freeman tray and couldn't believe the amount mites they were able to groom off. My gut feeling is that bees groom mites only for them to jump back on when leave the hive when you have Solid BB. Purdue U is currently raising queens called ankle biters, gonna try that this also. Ankle biters are able to a chew leg off and mite will then bleed to death. I believe SHB are like wax moths for me, too empty space for the bees in the hive and bees can't control em.


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