 Using A Fume Board
Using A Fume Board
Fume boards are sold by many
bee supply firms.  A fume board is a simple wooden frame the same
size as a super, the same thickness as a super, and 2" to 4" high. 
Tack a cloth tight across the frame.  Over that, tack a sheet metal
cover.  This need not be a single piece, roofing tin works fine. 
Fume boards work best when warm, so paint the top black.  To clear
your supers:
- 
Attach the pump-spray cap
and place your fume board in the sun, metal side up, to warm it.
- 
Smoke the hive entrance, and
spray Bee-Quick onto the cloth of the fume board, using a zigzag pattern.
- 
Be sure to go to the edges of
the cloth. Spray evenly over the entire surface of the cloth.  Don't
spray too much.
- 
Remove outer and inner covers.
Smoke bees on top bars. Place the fume board on the top super, avoiding
large gaps.
- 
The super should be clear in
from 3 to 5 minutes.  Repeat for each super, only spraying more Bee-Quick
when you notice that the fumes have subsided. If many bees exit the hive,
you have used far too much Bee-Quick. Remove the fume board more quickly
.  Use less next time.
- 
If you want to harvest your
honey on a very cloudy day, you may want to try a breeze
board.
 
