Slatted Rack

First developed by the famous beekeeper C.C. Miller in 1900, the slatted rack is installed between the bottom board and the bottom brood chamber. In winter, it keeps the brood chamber warmer so the queen can lay closer to the bottom of the frames. In the spring and summer, when hive populations increase rapidly and are prone to swarming, it creates a cluster space in the hive which can reduce swarming.  (Compare the two pictured hives: the left hive has no slatted rack, and the right does).