tips on using a bee vac?

[berkshire bee]

So my beevac is done and I will need to use it next week. I would appreciate any advice. I assume I would start with the air gate more open and increase the suction till it's working properly. How far away should it be held to just get bees? Do you just experiment till you get the hang of it? Thanks for any help.

[flathead]

It is hard to vac a bee setting on rough wood or comb, at least with the one I made. They can really hang on. You may have to cover them with the end and kinda scrape gently to make them let go. Or brush them into the danger zone.

I start with the air control mostly open just where a flying bee will be picked up from an inch or two. If you can hear them banging down the hose, you are losing bees.

Later, when they are stinging me and I am trying to finish the last of the die hards, I crank her up a bit.

Keep(make) a few extra inner boxes as this time of year the bees will overheat quickly.

[berkshire bee]

flathead, thanks. I know how they can cling because I've used a blower before to clear supers. Now I use trianglular escape boards.

[xC0000005]

My vac is designed so that it has extremely low suction at the start. Then once I validate that I don't have enough power to suck them off I start covering the first vacuum gate. Once it sucks off a clump of bees that are holding loosely one I have it set to go. Good luck!

[bluegrass]

I run mine full bore. It makes for a shorter ride and less die the faster I vacuum. I run it for 20-30 mins and then turn it off for 15 or so making sure to open the air vents back up.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

My old one had a one inch hose, I had to adjust it to barely pull the bees off the comb or it would kill a lot of bees.

My new one has a two inch hose with a one inch nozzle. It pulls the bees off the comb quite easily and they take the wild ride slower than the old vac. The one inch nozzle creates a higher velocity at the working end and once they are in the two inch hose the velocity is much slower. That does tend to create a secondary problem with bees clumping in the hose if the suction is too low. I use the full twelve foot length and have little problems since the inside is smooth and the volume is low.

[bbbbeeman]

it is all about horse power of the vac and hose size. i never have to ajust mine,the right combo is 2and 1/2 in hose 3 or4 hp with a reduced end that sucks the bees at 1 in , have used it for 8 years that way. good luck ROCK.