8 way bee clearers / escapes

[goodbobby]

I have purchased and am about to fit a number of these escapes to my National supers.They are 10 inches in diameter and have a 3 1/2" circular "assembly" area in the middle. I have always used porter escapes in previous years with mixed results and am told these "8 way jobbies" work better and clear the bees much more quickly without any moving parts to malfunction.

My problem is that they came without any instructions as to the suggested size of the hole I will need to cut in the centre of blank cover-boards I already have available. I have looked on the web and cannot find any hints whatsoever!

Has anyone experience of fitting/ using these escapes? Also they are supposed to be attached using drawing pins. Any ideas on alternatives as I always find drawing pins fiddly and a bit "hit and miss"

Advice would be appreciated, Thanks, Bob

 

[Obee1]

No advice for what to do. But I know what not to do. Don't get lazy and try affixing with duck tape - in the heat and humidity of the hive the glue doesn't hold and the bee escape half hangs off. Bees then get stuck to the exposed sticky side of the tape.
Remember I make these mistakes so you don't have to

 

[Hivemaker.]

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/8wayescapebd.html

 

[enrico]

As long as bees can get into it then any hole is big enough but a porter size is a good guide line.
E

 

[itma]

If the hole is about 2 inches diameter, that should do fine.

However, what you may not appreciate is that you want a couple of inches of "headroom" between the topbars and the plastic clearer.
At a pinch, an Apiguard eke under your clearer board would do the job for you.

Take a look at a ready-made board for inspiration ... (OK, this is a rhombus, but same things apply) http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clothing/hive-hardware/clearing-bees/cover-boards?product_id=5419 /// ADDED and, for the avoidance of doubt, that photo shows the thing turned upside down to show the workings ... !

 

[YorkshireBees]

If the hole is about 2 inches diameter, that should do fine.

However, what you may not appreciate is that you want a couple of inches of "headroom" between the topbars and the plastic clearer.
At a pinch, an Apiguard eke under your clearer board would do the job for you.

Take a look at a ready-made board for inspiration ... (OK, this is a rhombus, but same things apply) http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clothing/hive-hardware/clearing-bees/cover-boards?product_id=5419 /// ADDED and, for the avoidance of doubt, that photo shows the thing turned upside down to show the workings ... !

I can't stress that enough. I built my own boards for rhombus clearers and the first attempt didn't have enough headroom and they just glued them to the topbars of the box below!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My clearer board are 20 to 25 mm deep - ample, never get any issues.

 

[Laz]

Always one for belt and braces, I used an eke and a Th0rn.. clearer, left them to their own devices overnigh, little darlin's started a beautiful leaf shaped comb from underside of clearer, too much space and too long methinks.

 

[Tremyfro]

I bought one...bright yellow it is. I even fitted it with drawing pins...after reading Obee1's confession. Have I used it yet....nope. There has been no need as yet...as very little honey to take this year. If the HB lives up to promise and the weather stays warm and dry...who knows...it might make its inaugural presence in Hive 2.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Always one for belt and braces, I used an eke and a Th0rn.. clearer, left them to their own devices overnigh, little darlin's started a beautiful leaf shaped comb from underside of clearer, too much space and too long methinks.

More likely that you left it on too long!
I found that after 4hrs they had all but cleared from the supers! Any longer, ie overnight, and they can learn to get back in (talking about rhombus clearer).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any longer, ie overnight, and they can learn to get back in (talking about rhombus clearer).

Strange - usually end up with a few on for a couple of days and no returns

 

[YorkshireBees]

Strange - usually end up with a few on for a couple of days and no returns

Well that was my experience last year compared to this year. Maybe they just hadn't left the supers!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

could be - heard of that happening with someone this year

 

[Vortex]

I moved to using the rhomboid clearers as couple of years ago, and have left one on for 3 days without seeing any returns.
However, given they clear 99% of the bees in 24 hours, mine are not usually on for more that that. I also run langstroths which are top spaced so don't have to modify my clearer boards(which are double sided), bar adding 4 off no2x0.5" screws to hold the rhombus. This also means I can slide the rhombus on and off to clean it between hives.

 

[Laz]

More likely that you left it on too long!
I found that after 4hrs they had all but cleared from the supers! Any longer, ie overnight, and they can learn to get back in (talking about rhombus clearer).

Yeah, i thought that too, ( see post... )

 

[YorkshireBees]

Yeah, i thought that too, ( see post... )

Yep, didn't read your full post!