# Bee vacuum hose recommendation



## timsch (Apr 2, 2016)

Hello all. I have made a bee vacuum, and am happy with the setup with the exception of the hose. I bought some 1-1/2" diameter corrugated sump-pump hose, but the air being pulled through it makes it resonate and literally SCREAM louder than I could ever imagine. It's impressive, I must admit, but completely unacceptable to me and probably the bees.

*What hose works best for this purpose?* I'd like a smooth walled rather than corrugated hose if possible. 

Thanks.


----------



## hankstump (Jul 30, 2014)

I use the smooth ID hose from the ACE hardware Store that is black with blue ridges on it. 

I'm also trying to rig up an adapter between the hose, and a fluorescent bulb protector sleeve. The sleeves are polycarbonate, so super tough, and come in 4' and 8' lengths. Good for reaching long distances, smooth, and clear. 

Phil


----------



## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

Go to home depot, or home depot online. 50 ft. Smooth inside, ridges on outside... swimming pool hose lines. Cheap price, and smooth interior, so bees aren't hurt. Also, you need to throttle down airflow some, and pad the entry inside your bee collector with some foam rubber padding. This keeps the bees from crashing into the inside walls of your collector walls. To much vacuum, even on smooth inside piping will injure your bees. Good luck !!!! �� like 25 ft. Hoses or 50 ft. Available, or go to a pool supply place. Like 30 bucks or so at home depot.


----------



## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

The corrugated hose is easier on the bees than the smooth hose just so you know.


----------



## Ferg (Aug 7, 2015)

slow drone please explain?


----------



## JTGaraas (Jun 7, 2014)

Slow Drone, could you explain why corrugated hose is easier on bees. It would seem avoidance of sidewall collisions would be advantageous to bees’ longevity.


----------



## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

An awful lot of banging around inside that tube. Think of a swimming pool slide, if those corrugated ridges were easier on us, why do they make em Smooth? Just a thought.


----------



## TexasFreedom (Feb 25, 2016)

There are a few issues.

First, the material itself. Most corregated hoses have a very micro-texture interior surface. Yes, rolling ridges, but when (not if) the bees hit it, it's like the surface of a slide at the kid's park. Most solid-interior hoses are a more rubbery surface. When the bees hit it, there is more drag & that will actually cause more damage than hitting the 'ridge' of a low-drag material.

Second, flexibility. You need to bend it. Solid hoses are much more rigid and the inability to flex it will cause you issues, including requiring a longer hose.

Working on my battery-powered bee vacuum, I went through quite a few types of hose material. The corrugated interior hose worked out best. But then I only need 6 ft total hose length, the length will give you as much trouble as the rigids or materials.


----------



## JTGaraas (Jun 7, 2014)

Thanks TexasFreedom - having watched the Winter Olympics, now I can relate - bees are better mogul skiers than downhill skiers!


----------



## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Ferg said:


> slow drone please explain?


Texas Freedom just did a good job of explaining it. Thanks Texas Freedom :thumbsup:


----------



## timsch (Apr 2, 2016)

Interesting. Then, what size of hose are people using who use corrugated hoses?


----------



## Richinbama (Jan 15, 2018)

Very interesting. Thanks for follow up. 😊


----------



## TexasFreedom (Feb 25, 2016)

That's almost like asking what's your shoe size... but let me give it a try.

I've seen as little as 1" smooth hose. Smaller diameter gave greater flexibility. But this could clog very easily.
On the big size typical 'shop vac' hoses are in the 3" range. They are readily available. They tend to get heavier and lack flexibility.

I settled in the middle. 1.5" hose. At that point, larger diameter will not affect getting clogs. But this size is still nice and flexible (10" diameter circles). If you have any length, it will clog sooner or later. And it is nice and lightweight (note mine is 6ft long and will reach anywhere I'll ever need).

NEVER smoke the bees if you are going to vacuum them, and the more gentle the hive the more likely you get them vomiting honey as they go down the hose.


----------



## Beebeard (Apr 27, 2016)

I use dust collection hose from rockler. It's bigger, 4" I think, and corrugated, but it's clear, so I can easily see what's happening in there. I use a shop vac detail attachment so I get strong suction to pull them off the comb, but the velocity drops quickly inside the hose, and even gentler into the box. It does clog sometimes, but I can see it, and a few taps, or blocking the relief valve clears it up. I get very few dead bees in the box. Downside, the large diameter makes it kind of a clunky, heavy pain, but its very flexible, and works well enough that I haven't changed it out for anything else.


----------



## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

It's possible that the corrugations trap a layer of slower moving air, and the bees bounce off of that and seldom actually touch the wall.
Bill


----------



## RedBarn (May 31, 2017)

I use my shop vac with the standard 3" hose that it came with. I run the 3" from the vac to the Vac box, and then have more of the same 3" hose from the vac box to the bees I am sucking. Using the standard vac hose allows me to use the multiple attachments, like the brush end, the narrow tip, the wide tip etc. Comes in very handy depending on where I want to suck the bees from. 





















My vac box sits below a deep, and I have a plywood cover with a hole the diameter of my hose end that sits above the deep box. I have vents in the side of the vac box which I can open and close to get very little or very high suction in the hose to the bees. adjust the vents so you have just enough suction to suck the bees free from what ever they are on.


----------

