Bee Vacuum

There used to be a Bee Vac brand vacuum cleaner when I was a boy, I know because we had one. It was about 3 feet long and about 8 inches in diameter. The suction hose went in one end and it had handles to pick it up and move it. It was very 50's and we used it until the late 60's when we got a Kirby upright to vacuum the wall to wall carpet.

I made a bee vacuum today, and it is not for vacuuming around the house, though it would do that, it is for vacuuming honeybees! I remove bees from structures and trees and a little assistance from a bee vacuum is handy. I have never had one before because they killed too many bees. Most home made bee vacuums are little more than shop vacuums with a cage inside.

I have always said I thought the bee mortality rate would go down if they did not have to bounce down a corrugated tube. I also knew a larger space inside would minimize any impact. I had a job removing bees which were inside the living quarters of a house, and kill bees or not, I needed a bee vacuum. My friend Darrell had one so I borrowed it. He had been telling me how good it worked, and he did not lie. I do not think I killed a bee with it. I basically works like the old bee vacuum my mother had except it is made for honey bees. The bees go down a slick tube and in the end of the canister. The 8 inch canister is 2 feet long and padded at the bottom with foam in case one hits the bottom.

I liked it so well, I decided I had to have one myself. Mine is basically a copy of Darrells ingenious design with a few modifications a carpenter such as myself would make. I bought a 12 inch diameter and an 8 inch diameter "quick tube" concrete form, some screen wire, and some duct tape. I already had an old upright vacuum cleaner the the motor still worked on but my kids had abused until the upright part did not work. From my playhouses, I had various scraps to put all of this together with.

I used a hole saw to put vent holes in the the inner canister and for the vacuum motor suction hole. I also put a hole in the lid for the hose with the hole saw. I used a part from the old upright to put into the lid and attach my hose to make the hose swivel in the lid. I wrapped the inner tube with screen wire and wrapped duct tape around it to hold it in place. Several laps around the tube with the tape makes it stay because tape on tape does not let go. A few screws and some glue did the trick. I am amazed at how well it works. I need to install a vent hole to make the suction a bit less, and I will put it in the outer 12 inch canister, so I do not have to screen it up. Darrells model has the hole in the lid for the inner tube, but that has to be screened over. I am too lazy and figured a vent hole is a vent hole and I will put mine where it requires the least amount of work. Thanks Darrell for your great idea

Now, I am thinking of breaking it in on a colony of bees I know about that are in someones well house. It is tempting, because I really wanted 20 hives before the summer was over and this would make 20!