I don't like escape boards because one has to lift supers twice.  Once to
put the escape board on, and again to take the super off.  I also used a
blower for a few years...a 'super' blower such as that made by Dadant, that
I got used.  It did a great job but really had to be used with a 'chute'
for the super.
[image: image.png]
 and
[image: image.png]
When the motor went on the blower, I switched to BeeGo.
The best setup for BeeGo is with a PVC elbow in the top of the fume board.
The concentrated and constant air pressure on the fume board clears the
bees instantly.  But the elbow is a nuisance to carry around so I've gone
back to a plain fume board.
We took off our supers from the spring flow in early July.  Temperatures
were in the mid-80's.  We had mostly two supers on a hive, but some singles
and a few triples.  All hives had an excluder which we did not take off
before using the escape board.  I prepare my fume boards by a light stream
of spray along all four sides plus an X in the center.
To me, the secret to getting the bees to quickly move is to start them
moving by smoking and then immediately put on the fume board.  With 80+
ambient temperature, the bees will vacant the top super in 3-4 minutes and
up to three supers in 10 minutes.
If I have too many bees leaving the hive and climbing up the sides I know
I've left the boards on too long.  I can barely keep up with three boards,
and find only using two boards is best for my ancient body frame!

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