Bee Vacuum

Last year I started to get swarms and felt I'd like to use a vacuum for the process.  The first swarm I could not get to all the bees and wanted to make sure I had the queen.  My lovely wife, Sandi, went to Lowe's with the concept I described for a bee vacuum and this is what we used for the rest of the summer.

 The vacuum attaches to the silver hose on the right and the pick up hose just goes through a hole on the left.  The silver duct is held on with duct tape.

Here it is with the top on.

This worked well all last year for the swarm season.

This last winter I started to work on a better vacuum and had some parts made from a person that had a 3D printer.  The second version is here.  Notice the duct tape is still working here.  I had taken one of the vacuum attachments and tried to attach it to the plastic box.  It worked but not really what I was hoping for.

Here is a close up of the part I had made for the pick up hose.  Notice the thread on the outside.  This will fit a small mouth canning jar lid, also any mayonnaise jar lid.   This allows me to remove the hose and keep the bees inside.

Here is the last version that I'm now using.

This is the last part I had made that integrates the screen and makes it easier to attach the vacuum hose.










It works very well and I can adjust the suction with the holes I have drilled in the lid of the box.

The vacuum works very well but I do need to be near electricity to power the vacuum.  I am going to but a power inverter to run the vacuum off the car power.

In the end I spent about $250 on the vacuum but this should last for many years.