Aaron and others are entirely right about how to use the escape boards
described, and how well they work.  But I have a word of caution.

I produce a great deal of comb honey and formerly used the escape boards
with an empty super underneath.  I no longer do so as one day several years
ago I returned to the yard about 24 hours after installing the escape board
and the empty super and found the full super of cut comb frames an absolute
mess from melting (but with no bees).  Obviously, one of the function of the
bees was to keep the temperature down through ventilation, and I interfered
with that.

That said, I never had a similar difficulty with Ross Round supers or with
extracting supers.  In those cases I think the additional support of the
frames prevented the collapse.

I no longer use escape boards.
Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, manufacturer of comb honey equipment
for beekeepers and Sundance pollen traps.
http://www.rossrounds.com
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