# Issues with bee removals



## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Too much suction. Use a router speed controller to adjust the motor speed and a makeshift suction valve on the main vac body to adjust the suction so that it is just enough to pull the bees into the hose.


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## Epreciado (Aug 19, 2016)

Ok thanks I will try that with my next removal. Thanks for the advise.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Im betting you smoked the bees prior to removal, correct?


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## The Walker (Sep 28, 2016)

Maybe not enough ventilation in your catch box? 
I was surprised by the amount of heat they created in my catch box. Heat with humidity can create a lot of moisture...
The last bunch that I had vac'd up weighed close to six lbs. after the extraction, they were all in 1 deep box and for the most part in one big ball. 
The next time I used more frames to give them some separation and opened the top of my box once the vac job was completed (Top is screened)
Just my two cents...


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## Epreciado (Aug 19, 2016)

Yes I did smoke them.


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## Epreciado (Aug 19, 2016)

Thanks I used the bucket lid with tiny holes drilled in it maybe I will start using a frame box with frames and screened top.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Here is a video of someone setting up a Bucket Head to use as a bee vac. When I built mine a drill 3 additional 2.5" holes in the bucket, 2 near the top and the other mid way down. I tape them closed when using the vac and untape all hole when I'm done to give them as much ventilation as I can. After using it a few time now I think I'm going to drill a couple more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb0ITRn3Bm0


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

To Mr. Beeman's comment, the smoke can drive the bees to engorge on honey, couple that with all the excitement and agitation and you have the same effect as a kid at a carnival after lunch.


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## AnnieBee (Jun 30, 2015)

For remote bee vacuuming when electricity is not available, can the Bucket Head vacuum be run from a vehicle using an inverter?

Or has anyone modified a Stanley 12 volt wet/dry shop vac (1.5 peak HP) into a bee vac to get around the power cord issue?


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## Epreciado (Aug 19, 2016)

photobiker said:


> Here is a video of someone setting up a Bucket Head to use as a bee vac. When I built mine a drill 3 additional 2.5" holes in the bucket, 2 near the top and the other mid way down. I tape them closed when using the vac and untape all hole when I'm done to give them as much ventilation as I can. After using it a few time now I think I'm going to drill a couple more.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb0ITRn3Bm0



Thanks will definitely try that.


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## The Walker (Sep 28, 2016)

AnnieBee said:


> For remote bee vacuuming when electricity is not available, can the Bucket Head vacuum be run from a vehicle using an inverter?
> 
> Or has anyone modified a Stanley 12 volt wet/dry shop vac (1.5 peak HP) into a bee vac to get around the power cord issue?


In answer to the inverter, Yes... You just have to make sure that the powers match... Ie. consumed power by the shop vac at least equals that of the inverter output.... 
Voltage x Current = Wattage 
for instance if a shop vac is run on 115 VAC and it uses 2 Amps... Then it is using approimately 230 Watts. So if you had a 500 Watt Inverter, it should be plenty!


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

I learned this lesson the hard way as well. Smoking the bees like Eikel mentioned, makes the bees consume large amounts of honey. Once the bees get jostled around, a little overheated and stressed out, they expel the honey all over everything. 
This surely did your bees in. 
This is a good lesson to learn before it's too late.


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## Epreciado (Aug 19, 2016)

Yes it is. I have learned a bit thanks to this forum. What I have taken from all this and correct me if I'm wrong. Don't smoke the bees and put bigger ventilation holes covered with window screen on my buckets.


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