Bee Escapes

S.M.N.Bee · July 24, 2012, 09:07:56 PM

I'm thinking of building some triangular bee escapes. Do they work well or are they a waste of time?

John

AllenF · July 24, 2012, 09:14:09 PM

They work, if the bee wants to leave.

S.M.N.Bee · July 24, 2012, 10:53:00 PM

I am not hoping for 100% exit Allen. Is 95% in eight hours possable?

John

duck · July 25, 2012, 12:28:37 AM

run em with smoke!

AllenF · July 25, 2012, 08:31:03 PM

95% is possible. But keep an eye on it because you may open a buffet for the beetles.

David McLeod · July 25, 2012, 08:54:39 PM

Quote from: AllenF on July 25, 2012, 08:31:03 PM
95% is possible. But keep an eye on it because you may open a buffet for the beetles.

Yep, the beetles negate alot of things we do that we once could get away with. I just pulled supers today and I used the old trick of stacking them over an escape, in this case I put them on top of light colonies that needed bees. I got maybe 50% moved in 24 hours but I ain't about to leave them any longer than that. As it was ants were nosing around the supers so I wouldn't recommend leaving anything light on bees any longer than you have to. If I had combined it with a little bee quick I would expect to get the 95%, though.

Robo · July 25, 2012, 10:59:06 PM

I stack the supers, put the triangle escape board on inverted, an empty super and night light. Next morning supers are clear.

S.M.N.Bee · July 26, 2012, 12:09:54 AM

Robo
I was thinking of something similar in case there were a lot of bees left in the supers but your idea will be better.

Thanks
John

David McLeod · July 26, 2012, 12:51:25 AM

I like my shop vac that I use for my bee vac. It has the detachable motor that can double as a blower. I just hook my hose to the oulet side and use a reducer that allows you to hook up a smaller hose and blow the last of them out. Did that this afternoon and only had maybe a half a dozen make it into the house with me. Made it to the very last box before one got it's revenge on me.