Glossary
A device placed between the honey supers and the brood box that allows bees to move downward but not return upward. Escape boards provide a chemical-free method for clearing bees from honey supers before harvest, typically emptying supers within 24 to 48 hours.
The most common escape board design uses a triangular or cone-shaped passage that bees can easily navigate in one direction but struggle to find the exit from the other side. The board is placed below the honey supers in the evening, and by the next morning, most bees have moved down through the escape into the brood nest, leaving the honey supers nearly bee-free.
This method is preferred by many beekeepers because it requires no chemicals (like fume boards with benzaldehyde), no physical shaking of frames, and no bee brushing. The bees simply follow their natural tendency to move toward the brood nest cluster at night, and the one-way passages prevent them from returning to the supers.
Escape boards work best when placed in the evening and the supers removed early the following morning. If left too long, bees may figure out the maze and begin returning to the supers. In hot weather, leaving supers sitting above an escape board for too long can cause the honey to heat and degrade in quality.
Ensure the escape board fits tightly with no gaps around the edges. Even a small opening allows bees to bypass the escape mechanism and return to the supers, defeating the purpose. Some beekeepers use two escape boards stacked for more complex mazes and faster clearing.
Most supers are cleared within 12 to 24 hours. Place the escape board in the evening and check the supers the following morning. A few stragglers may remain, but the vast majority of bees will have moved down.
Escape boards work best in moderate temperatures. In extreme heat, bees may cluster in the supers for cooling rather than moving down. In very cold conditions, they may be reluctant to move away from the cluster. Temperate conditions are ideal.
The triangular bee escape (Porter escape) is the most common. Diamond or cone escapes tend to clear faster because bees have more difficulty navigating back through them. Multi-exit designs with star or pinwheel patterns are also effective.
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