Slotted rack -does it make it hard to find the queen?

[Lburou]

Tried a slatted rack last month and a queen that was easy to find is impossible to locate now.

She is there, because I see all stages of brood and eggs.  But she is not visible on the frames.  Anyone else experience this with a slatted rack?

I sold the hive and had to leave an F-1 from II breeder queen in the hive (only got 8 F-1 queens from a $250 VSH Italian breeder queen, so this is/was important to change her out with an F-2).  Buyer is ten air miles from me so will get some benefit from this queen's progeny (meaning drones) anyway.

[Jen]

What the heck is a slatted rack? 

[riverbee]

10-Frame Slatted Rack Brushy Mountain

10 Frame Slatted Rack Mann Lake

more indepth info:

Slatted Bottom Rack

lee, i don't use them so can't comment.

[Jen]

Hmm, learning new stuff everyday... I'm still not clear on how it helps prevent swarming?

[Lburou]

Hmm, learning new stuff everyday... I'm still not clear on how it helps prevent swarming?

One cause of swarming is when there are more bees than space.  In otherwise overcrowded conditions, the slatted rack gives bees additional space to lounge until conditions are right to leave the hive and forage.  Its like adding the surface of two or three additional frames to the hive.  My excuse for not finding the queen is the extra surface of the slatts and not being able to inspect for the queen unless you take the bottom brood chamber away...If she wants to hide, there is a lot of space in the slatted rack.   HTH 

[Retroguy]

While it offers more "lounge space" for the foragers, I was under the impression that the queen isn't likely to hide there because she doesn't like all the light.  Also thought that the main reason for the slatted rack was that it encourages her to fill out the lower sections of the brood combs because they're more in the dark so are more attractive to her.

Of course I'm only at the "book learning" stage here.  Working knowledge starts next year.

[Lburou]

While it offers more "lounge space" for the foragers, I was under the impression that the queen isn't likely to hide there because she doesn't like all the light.  Also thought that the main reason for the slatted rack was that it encourages her to fill out the lower sections of the brood combs because they're more in the dark so are more attractive to her.

Of course I'm only at the "book learning" stage here.  Working knowledge starts next year.

You make good points retroguy, but some queens run away from the smoke and light as you open the hive (without a slatted rack).  The slatted rack seems to be giving her shelter while I'm looking for her in all the usual places.  I was just wondering if anyone  had this experience as well. 

[barry42001]

Never used slatted racks, preferred to add space via supers, in my mind accomplished same thing, never had comb gnawing.