Bee Vac Question

[markb2603]

I’ve been asked to remove some bees from a roof this weekend. Doing a bit of prep and decided to bodge a bee vac just in case. I’ve an old Henry hoover that I will use and I’m thinking I might use this old clearer board as the ‘unit’ basically. I’m planning on using the central hole for the bee pipe, I’m then thinking of putting a hole on the left of the board for the hoover which will provide the suction (I’ll fence this off with varroa mesh) and then on the right I’ll put another hole with a bit of rigid plastic attached so I can adjust the flow. All this will go ontop of a brood box with some old comb and foundation so the bees have something to hang onto. Totally prepared for this not to work, but just in case it does. Should I be putting a super between the unit and the brood box of comb to create a bit of additional dead air and a space for the bees to fall into or could they go straight down onto the frames? Once I get the bee pipe in position there is only a couple of centimetres between the exit and the top of the frames so I don’t want them getting smashed on that.

 

[Anduril]

Don't place any frames inside the brood chamber, leave it as a void so that you don't damage the bees being sucked inside. In a separate box, if there is any comb treat it as a cutout and combine them at your new site when you have finished.

 

[Garry R]

Don't underestimate the strength of the vacuum. It is amazing how little vacuum you need to suck up a bee. I made a vac with 4M of tubing using two 12Vcar vacuums into the lid of a bucket and varroa mesh as the barrier to prevent them getting sucked into the hoover. Even with all that the vacuum was effective. I see some folk have used a swivelling gate to control the "suck".

 

[user 819]

One will need some kind o fgate valve arrangement to regulate power flow unless one is using a 12v vac source.
I use a 12v vac which is perfect suction wise it just manages to lift a 1.1/4 plaster board nail four inches up the tube and wafts bees up quite nicely without harm.
On the base of my receptacle bin I placed some foam padding for a soft landing , a couple of brood combs placed inside to cluster on.

 

[markb2603]

Yes I fully intend to have some kind of valve, a simple one though, a bit of ice cream tub plastic secured over a hole by a pin which will allow me to open and close to the required amount to ensure everything is vacuumed up gently. Good idea on the foam padding. Might be worth having 2 brood frames on either side for them to cluster on, thanks for that tip.