Cleaning rhomboid escaped

[Eyeman]

Decided to try and unblock the mesh holes on my rhomboids. First question is are these holes necessary for them to work? I ask the question because every hole has been sealed up by the bees & I’ve been using them like that for several years. Giving them a soak in washing soda/fairy to remove most of the wax/propolis but mesh holes still blocked .

 

[JamezF]

I've always thought that the holes are what stops the bees finding their way back into the supers -- that is, they can "smell"[1] the honey most strongly through the mesh near the hole in the board and won't want to move away from it to where the "exit" from the rhombus is (and where the smell is weaker). If the mesh is closed up then the smell will be strongest near the exits and they'll follow it back up into the supers.

I made this explanation up all by myself though. I have no idea if it's true.

James

[1] "I say, I say, I say... My bee has no nose." "How does she smell?" "I'm not getting close enough to find out".

 

[Eyeman]

That makes sense. A wire brush is getting most of the holes back open.

 

[Swarm]

Barbecue skewer, tedious but it works.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've got loads of propolised rhombus escapes - they still seem to work. although I have found that soaking them overnight in a strong soda solution, then a good scrub gets them clean

 

[enrico]

I sit there for half an hour with a square pointed bradawl listening to sounds of the 60's .

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I usually put them in the freezer with our Queen excluders, what doesn't then break off gets left.
As Jenkins says, it doesn't make much difference if the holes are gummed closed, and to be honest there are only a few factory sites we now use boards, most supers are cleared with the blower because of time constraints.

 

[Garry R]

Washing soda solution in warm - not boiling wter. Leave to soak with occasional scrubbing with a nail brush and pop back in the solution. That shifts it no problem without warping the escape. Not too hot is the key!

 

[Curly green finger's]

I clean mine also in a warm water/soda mix, I leave mine to soak over night if there is anything left in the holes a wire brush is used to push the crude out then clean the board in warm water .

 

[Newbeeneil]

I clean my queen excluders by soaking overnight in a strong soda solution and then power washing. That should work a treat with rhombus clearers.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have no idea what you guys are doing but mine never get clogged. Are you leaving them on for some reason?

 

[Swarm]

Mine are only left on for 24 hours max, they manage to clog up a hole or two. After a few years there are quite a few clogged up holes, at this point I might poke them with the bamboo skewer.