Bee Vac

Bee vac:

click images for high resolution versions

To build this bee-vac, I used a new eight frame medium box. I cut a piece of luan to cover the entire rear and secured it with small screws. I wanted a viewing window for the front, so I made a two half-covers from the same luan and cut a viewing hole in one of them. I glued a light piece of plexiglass to the outside of this piece. (I was afraid if I glued it to the inside, the vacuum would suck it loose.) I hinged the the two pieces with small hinges and screws and permanently attached the solid piece to the box. I used two small screws to secure the door shut while in use. In one short end of the box, I cut a hole that my standard shop vac hose would fit snugly in and bought a piece of this hose at Lowe’s. I used a hose clamp to secure it from the inside and this piece of hose stays with the bee-vac. On the inside, I angled a small piece of #8 hardware cloth and stapled it at an angle across the inner corner to cover the hose entrance. This piece must fit securely enough that bees can’t get around hose and be sucked into the main vacuum. I took a five foot piece of flexible swimming pool hose and cut a hole in the other end the same diameter of this hose so it fits very snugly. I made a swiveling luan cover that can be used to cover this hole when the hose is removed to keep the bees inside. This keeps the bees in the vac and not in the hose when the suction is turned off. In the top side of the box, I cut another hole the same size as my main vacuum hose and made an adjustable luan damper that can be swiveled to regulate suction. This piece can be secured with a wing-nut on a carriage bolt. This damper makes it very easy to completely adjust the suction by letting outside air into the box and keeps you from injuring the bees by sucking them into the vac at high speed. When you turn off the vacuum, you just swivel this cover closed. You can look through the viewing window as your working to see what you’ve got. I also made a couple of metal hooks and mounted them to the top so I can hang it on the rung of my ladder while I’m working. I added an eye-bolt on one end to which I attached an old tool bag strap so I can haul the vac up and down and keep my hands frees. I have enough vacuum hose that I can leave my vacuum on the ground while I work on the ladder. This makes it much quieter. It took me a couple of hours to build and I have less than $20 in it. It is not to big and bulky, can be used to haul bees home with ventilation and works great!