Bucket vac - swarm collector

[pokerman11]

I was at Home Depot last week - they have this power head that you attach to a bucket to turn it into a wet/vac. Looked like it might be an interesting way to catch swarms, not too powerfull. Suck them into the bucket, close off the holes bring them home then dump into a brood box.

I could not find a picture of the item on HD web site - but here is somthing similer.





The one at HD I think was $15, so wondering what you guys think




http://www.speedclean.com/BucketVac.html

[odfrank]

I have a homemade one that works well. I have some screened lids too, so for large or multiple swarms I just carry extra buckets and screened lids. Easy to handle also. I would like to see the bottom screen.

[pokerman11]

The bottom of the vac I saw at HD was just one of those paper filters - mostly tubed shaped about 5" high and round. I figure the bees would just fall into the bottom of the bucket and that filter keep them from going out the exaust.


The motor seems like it would be small enough that would not need need a dimmer switch. Just the hose is a little small, but would be easy enough to take the entire bucket up the ladder with you.

[Fuzzy]

I would be concerned that there is probably a hard, right angle turn just as the hose enters the top. You might need to plug the hose entrance and build a better one into the lower bucket to keep from killing bees.

[LSBees]

I built my bee vac using a 6 gallon (not 5 gallon) bucket with the screw down lid (not snap on). What you do is build a screened box (I built 2) just like the box a package of bees ships in (<$5). I cut a hole in the side of the bucket near the bottom and inserted a PVC fitting that connects a short hose to a small shop vac. I cut another hole in the center of the screw on lid and added another PVC fitting - inside the lid this fitting extends in a hole on the side of the package box and on the outside of the lid the fitting connects to the pickup hose (12’). I then adjust the screw on lid to purposely leak to reduce the suction till I get the right amount. When the inner box (package size) is full I unscrew the lid, slide a cover over the hole in the box, pull it out and add another box and continue working. Works pretty well for a hours worth of work and some PVC.

[janvanhamont]

I bought and investigated this wet/dry vacuum top from a Home depot store in the Dallas area. First of all these tops are hard tro find. Home depot sells these as fast as they get them. So it is best to have a local Home Depot search all other stores in the area. The store number for this item is SKU 301 971. Next, this top does not cost $ 15.00 as was mentioned above but $ 20.00 plus tax. Next the unit here does not resemble the unit shown in the thread given with the first entry above. Next the unit sold here does not have a 2 inch inlet but a 1 inch inlet.
Now as you know when you have 12 beekeepers gathered there will be 13 opinions. I am the one with two opinions.
In order to waste my time and to have to retype this for a 4th time as I gotted two times logged off perviously because my answer was too long I will this time post my comments in three threads. I must say Bee Source was gracious and changed the automatic log-out time from 15 to 30 minutes on my request.
First the good things about this wet/dry vacuum head.
It is cheap. If you buy a 2 inch hose at Lowe's it also cost you $20 plus tax. If it was suitable to be used as a bee extraction device teh way it comes I would recommend the purchase very strongly. It will make a one piece bee extractor something I have been looking for a long time.. It comes with a 6 foot hose.
In next thread I will discuss the negative aspects.
And in the final thread I will discuss the modifications in order to make this an item which everybody who does bee extraction will want.
I mean time I will conatct the manufacturer in order to find out why two models are sold by different Home Depot stores.
Janvanhamont

[pokerman11]

Thanks Janvan,

I was just walking thru HD that week and noticed these powerheads. I think the one I looked at had a 1 1/2 or 2" hose, as that was not the issue the issue was the hard right turn into the bucket that would need to be modified. The price was $15.99 but that was a sale price.

The powerhead in the link I posted has a 2" hose, and it looks from the pictures that the flow comes into the bucket at a 45 deg angle. Interested to see how much they will price them at when they come out. If cheep enough I will buy one and see what I can do with it.


I was just thinking it would be a interesting way to make a swarm collector, somthing nice and small that could be easly carried up a ladder.


That seems to be my issue with power swam collectors - I need somthing that goes up high with me on the 24foot ladder. Right now my cardbord box is able to go with me, so going to stick with that for now, but curious what you are thinking.

[janvanhamont]

Pokerman,
I tested the final bucket yesterday. It works like a charm. Today I will buy 10 heads and start my production. But first let talk about the negative points:
-The wet/dry bucket vac head sold here in the Home Depot stores has a one inch inlet, too small to suck up bees because with the heavy pressure the bees explode in the hose.
-Indeed the inlet is closely followed by a sharp 90 degree elbow. When the bees hit this elbow they wind up with a severe headache from which they most likely do not recover.
-The vac head has no gasket which though in the time may interfere with the suction. The suction wihtout this gasket is however very good.
-The one inch hose supplied cannot be coupled to another one inch hose. This makes that when using this vac one has to content with a five foot hose.
-The wet/dry contraption which contains the floating ball occupies half of a five gallon bucket.
-Ones the removal operation witk this bucket stops there will be no ventilation and the bees have to be removed on the spot. Bees will kling to the paper filter bag and will be difficult to remove without many escaping. One thing I must say is that the head is easier to remove than a normal lid and the bees will not cling to the plastic wall of the bucket.

For so far the negative points.
Janvanhamont

[janvanhamont]

Now coming to the subject of modifying the vac head and the bucket to make a useful swarm extraction device.
-First I rmove the wet/dry conrarption which contains the ball and filter bag. Discard these items.
-Then buy a bottle of champange and set it aside for later use.
-I recommend the use of a six gallon bucket instead of a five gallon bucket.
-Drill with a hole saw a 2-3/8 hole in the bottom of the bucket. This will acccept than a 2 " threaded pipe adapater. Glue a piece of plastic pipe pipe in this addaptor and use a 2" rubber hose coupling which slips ober this pipe. This hose coupling has a stainless strap on both end so you can slip it over this short piece of pipe and tighten it.
-Than get a two inch flexible hose and slip this inside the adapter.
-Drill about six rows of holes 4 holes high in the side of the bucket. Use a 1-1/2 hole saw.
-Obtain a 1 ft piece of 1/8 hardware cloth. Mine I got from Ace hardware and was 30 inches wide. This is sufficient to line the inside of two buckets. As you know, the first vac you build is not 100 %. This one you give to your ennemy. The second one you build is for you or your friend. Attach this hardware cloth with screws as a liner inside this bucket.
-Insert a piece of open cell foam in the opening left when you removed the wet/dry ball contraptionn. Thisw will be your filter.
-Now you vac is ready. Slide a garbage bag over the bucket. Put a bungee cord on top of the bucket making sure the outlet is not covered. Make a hole in the bottom of the bag and slide the hose through this hole and slide it into the rubber hose coupling. Use a plastic tie around the bottom of the bag and seal with a plastic tie.
-Open the bottle of champagne. Put the the cork in the inlet opening of the vac head.
-Drink the bottle of champagne becuase the vac is now ready to use. Switch on the vacuum head and thge bag will suck itself tight around the bucket such as when you use a vacuum food packer.
Once the bee extraction job is finished, stop a vac and remove the plastic garbage bag and take the bees home.
Good luck.
Janvanhamont

[janvanhamont]

The bungee strap is actually a canopy tarp tie sold in packs of 8 in a plactic can by Home Depot.
I missed the size of the hardware bucket liner. here it available in 30" width. You will need three feet but actually 30 inches will do. I cut off six inches before slicing it in two, thus two pieces 15 by 30 will do for two liners liners.
The six inch strip I have left over I divide by six. These little pieces make a nice 4.5x4.5 introduction cage. If you happen to find the queen during the removal, then you can lock her up in this cage which you then push over some merging brood.
Now coming back to the bee removal itself, which I have done several. My present thinking is that when you remove bees from a house and salvage the comb, the bees eat enough honey so they revert to a swarming status, i.e. they are full of honey.When you shake these over the salvaged comb they will hang on the ceiling of the box for several days and will not protect the salvaged comb, thus giving the wax moth the chance to do their work.
I now shake these bees in a new colony and if the queen survived the ordeal then in about five days they will start comb building. The salvaged comb I set over an existing hive. These bees will care for the brood, use the pollen and honey stores to your benefit.
Now about the survival rate with this device: I removed bees from a meter box last week. When halfway through the job I realized that I had forgotten to add the filter. Coming home I carefully inspected the vac head. No bees had been ground up. The explanation is as follows: I used a 1 inch short adapter on the 2 inch hose. When the bees get into the 2 ich hose their velocity drops in half, When they reach the bucket their velocity drops to almost noything as they have no inertia. They practically fall in the bucket. On this job the bucket laid sideways.
In another thread I will discuss the slavaging of the comb.When I come home I have no comb to process.
When I master the art of adding a picture to this thread, I will do.
Janvanhamont