porter bee escapes

[mocko]

Hi again,

I have a hive with 2 of these in the crownboard. Am I right in thinking that I need to take these out and replace the holes with something to prevent the bees building comb/climbing into the roof? if so, what do people use?

Thanks

Andy

 

[onriver]

I've found porter bee escapes to work well if you use them as temporary clearance for supers - if you leave them for any length of time they either get propolised up to allow free movement or to prevent any bees moving up. Generally speaking, if you have an OMF you don't (IMHO) want any additional ventilation so I would take them out when they aren't needed for clearing and replaced with anything that will block your bees accessing the roof - glass is good

 

[Rosti]

Porter holes should be blocked if you are on mesh floors and so dont need top ventilation. Something heavy and very flat. My favourite trick is to wander into bathroom tile suppliers and ask for any old tiles (having explained why). They are always interested and helpful. Tiles are brilliant, heavy enough not to move, thin enough not to foul anything. If you need the top ventilation then mesh them so no bee access to roof.

Have never cleared with porters, takes too long and extra trips to the apiary. I clear down there and then using almond oil and a fume lid, works an absolute treat, wait 5 mins tops per hive being harvested.

 

[oliver90owner]

Porter bee escapes are for clearing bees from superss. They have no use whatsoever in the crownboard (the crownboard is often utilised as a clearer board by many).

Some might say it allows bees to escape from the roofspace, but that would not happen for long as they are invariably propolised (to prevent this unwanted ventilation, or at least attenuate it to a suitable level).

You could place a piece of wire gauze over the holes and let the bees decide how much ventilation they require. OMF or solid floor (it matters not) and all or almost all the open area will be propolised. Don't take my word for it -try it; at least the myth will then not remain with you for the rest of your beekeeping days!

Regards, RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

Just to back that up I bought a hive once which had a travelling screen on it for a CB and the bees had propolised the whole thing over. Now that is what I call a wee hint....

PH

 

[CB008]

Hi again,

I have a hive with 2 of these in the crownboard. Am I right in thinking that I need to take these out and replace the holes with something to prevent the bees building comb/climbing into the roof? if so, what do people use?

Thanks

Andy

If they do get propolised then shove them in your freeezer overnight and scrape off the hardened propolois in the morning having first removed teh cover to get at the springs

 

[Tim1606]

Have never cleared with porters, takes too long and extra trips to the apiary. I clear down there and then using almond oil and a fume lid, works an absolute treat, wait 5 mins tops per hive being harvested.

Can you explain how you do this as i have looked at fume boards before but unsure if i should have a go and use one. I can't get on with porter escapes as they always seem to block up.

 

[oliver90owner]

If they do get propolised then shove them in your freeezer overnight and scrape off the hardened propolois in the morning having first removed teh cover to get at the springs

And the point of this? Utterly useless. When replaced in the crownboard they will simply be re-propolised. Why waste your time? The bees know best, and will thwart all yor efforts at keeping them clear.

Crown boards are crownboards. Clearer boards are something different, but maybe you hadn't noticed? Like cleare boards don't fit on the top of the hive (unless used for storage of said item)!

Porter bee escapes are for clearing bees from a super. No other sensible use, unless for a particularly specialised operation elsewhere than in the hive.

RAB

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Old roofing slates are good for covering crown board holes. I just split them down to the right size. The bees usually propolise them so they don't fall off everytime you lift the crownboard.

 

[Rosti]

Can you explain how you do this as i have looked at fume boards before but unsure if i should have a go and use one. I can't get on with porter escapes as they always seem to block up.

A fume board is effectively a very shallow roof that is 460mm square so sits on not over the edges of the super it is placed on. It has tin plate on the outside (like a roof). Tin plate is ideally painted black to take in as much heat as poss (improves vapourisation of the oil. On the underside is thick hessian. The whole thing is finished with an 18mm edge giving a small head space above the super. Spray some of the diluted almond oil (you can buy it for clearing supers) on to the hessian. You need space for the bees to move down to so clear on the hive not after removal and bobs your cleared super.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

If they do get propolised then shove them in your freeezer overnight and scrape off the hardened propolois in the morning having first removed teh cover to get at the springs

And the point of this?

To collect Propolis?

 

[Tim1606]

A fume board is effectively a very shallow roof that is 460mm square so sits on not over the edges of the super it is placed on. It has tin plate on the outside (like a roof). Tin plate is ideally painted black to take in as much heat as poss (improves vapourisation of the oil. On the underside is thick hessian. The whole thing is finished with an 18mm edge giving a small head space above the super. Spray some of the diluted almond oil (you can buy it for clearing supers) on to the hessian. You need space for the bees to move down to so clear on the hive not after removal and bobs your cleared super.

Thanks for clearing that up for me (no pun intended). Might just give it a go.