Econo-vac
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Hey Rick, here's a very interesting (and cheap) idea. Vacum them right into their new home!
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/bee-vac/
Only flaw I see may be bee's getting caught in the screen on the vac side, I think it would only be a problem with a high powered vac though. Slick idea...
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/bee-vac/
Only flaw I see may be bee's getting caught in the screen on the vac side, I think it would only be a problem with a high powered vac though. Slick idea...
I'm a frugal man (My lovely wife calls me cheap). But I did make a Bee vac out of some used 2x4s and plywood, a clear plastic tub from Wally World and a piece of tube form Lowes or (maybe it Home Depo). For the vacuum I use my shop vac.
It’s real similar to ones found on the internet. http://www.beesource.com/plans/beevac/index.htm (just copy and paste this link).
The only changes I made were, I used a large clear plastic tote to catch the bees in. I cut a 12†x 12†square in the lid (thou not very square I’m not much of a carpenter) Covered the hole with bee screen (1/4 inch mesh). Then I made a 14â€x 14†square box out of 2x4’s with a piece of plywood nailed to one side, to make it like a box. I set that open side down over the hole, on the lid and drilled a hole in one of the 2x4’s the same size as my vacuum cleaner hose. Stuck the hose in the hole for suction.
That makes a cheap the box to hold the bees and a vacuum source that most of us already have.
Then cut a 1 1/2†hole (or what ever size hard suction hose you are going to use) I splurged and bought a nice section of white 1 ½†hard suction, it was the most expensive part. Anyway dill the hole in one of the ends near the top, you just don’t want the bees to hit the opposite wall when they get sucked. Poke that nice. Expensive, plastic hose it the hole and you can start sucking up bees.
I did reinforce the 1 ½†hole in the tote with a small piece of plywood. I sandwiched two pieces together, one on the inside, one the outside and drilled right through both.
I also cut a 3x3 square out of the side of a milk jug to cover the hole when I’m done sucking and want to keep the bees inside.
I wanted clear suction hose but what I found was to soft and would collapse when under a vacuum. It would be real nice to be able to watch the bees fly down the tube.
You do not want too much vacuum or it will damage the bee’s wings. So if it’s too strong break the seal around the 2x4 and the lid. Mine is not a very good seal (I told you I’m not a carpenter) I have to lay a towel around the 2x4’s to get a good seal.
Hope this helps
Beav
It’s real similar to ones found on the internet. http://www.beesource.com/plans/beevac/index.htm (just copy and paste this link).
The only changes I made were, I used a large clear plastic tote to catch the bees in. I cut a 12†x 12†square in the lid (thou not very square I’m not much of a carpenter) Covered the hole with bee screen (1/4 inch mesh). Then I made a 14â€x 14†square box out of 2x4’s with a piece of plywood nailed to one side, to make it like a box. I set that open side down over the hole, on the lid and drilled a hole in one of the 2x4’s the same size as my vacuum cleaner hose. Stuck the hose in the hole for suction.
That makes a cheap the box to hold the bees and a vacuum source that most of us already have.
Then cut a 1 1/2†hole (or what ever size hard suction hose you are going to use) I splurged and bought a nice section of white 1 ½†hard suction, it was the most expensive part. Anyway dill the hole in one of the ends near the top, you just don’t want the bees to hit the opposite wall when they get sucked. Poke that nice. Expensive, plastic hose it the hole and you can start sucking up bees.
I did reinforce the 1 ½†hole in the tote with a small piece of plywood. I sandwiched two pieces together, one on the inside, one the outside and drilled right through both.
I also cut a 3x3 square out of the side of a milk jug to cover the hole when I’m done sucking and want to keep the bees inside.
I wanted clear suction hose but what I found was to soft and would collapse when under a vacuum. It would be real nice to be able to watch the bees fly down the tube.
You do not want too much vacuum or it will damage the bee’s wings. So if it’s too strong break the seal around the 2x4 and the lid. Mine is not a very good seal (I told you I’m not a carpenter) I have to lay a towel around the 2x4’s to get a good seal.
Hope this helps
Beav
http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/Iddee/BEE%20VAC/
Bee vacs are mostly used when removing bees from structures. If you vac the bees into the hive, you have no way to install the brood comb you put in frames for the bees. It is best to vac into a different container, frame the comb, and pour the bees over the comb once you get them home.
Catching swarms is easier without a vac.
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Bee vacs are mostly used when removing bees from structures. If you vac the bees into the hive, you have no way to install the brood comb you put in frames for the bees. It is best to vac into a different container, frame the comb, and pour the bees over the comb once you get them home.
Catching swarms is easier without a vac.
I wonder if a cyclone-type vacuum would work better than using the typical type of bee vac. I'm not affiliated with the company, but (as an example) the DIY Dust Deputy (google it) can be bought new for $40. It would appear to have the advantage of being gentler on the bees as they would gently swirl down the cyclone into the hive box (much as the fine sawdust would if used for woodworking). There would be very little chance of them being sucked up into a wire screen at the top where the vacuum hose is attached.
I wish I had the experience/guts to catch a swarm so that I could try this out. Heck maybe I'll build one and let a more experienced beek try it out.
I wish I had the experience/guts to catch a swarm so that I could try this out. Heck maybe I'll build one and let a more experienced beek try it out.
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Look at the Robo website. The design has a cut-out shim that allows you to combine brood frames with the colony. I made one using this design and it works great. No more pouring bees into a hive box after you vac.
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If your budget is really tight, you can build this one for about $30. It works great. I've done about 35 removals with this type and very little to no bee loss. All the queens made it as well.
https://plus.google.com/photos/111863660513010434468/albums/5617092227698654225?banner=pwa
https://plus.google.com/photos/111863660513010434468/albums/5617092227698654225?banner=pwa
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