Inserting the Bee Escape
Arbeiten am Bienenstand
The bee escape is a one-way passage in the divider board.
The bee escape is a one-way passage in the divider board. Bees pass through it easily from above, but practically cannot find their way back. The day before the harvest, the queen excluder is replaced by the divider board with the escape, and by the next day the honey super is largely empty.
The waiting time is given as about 24 hours, elsewhere simply described as fitting it the day before. Under twelve hours is usually not enough. It fails if there is brood in the honey super, since nurse bees will not leave their brood, likewise if there is a queen or drones in the honey super, if the passage is blocked, if the divider board does not sit flush, and on cold nights.
If the harvest is delayed by several days, it is switched back to a queen excluder: honey in combs without bees draws moisture. Compared with brushing the bees off, the escape saves work but removes the chance to assess each comb individually at the apiary. When fitting it, pay attention to the direction: the wide openings face the honey super.