# Vacuuming established hive



## John Davis (Apr 29, 2014)

Vac the bees, cut out the comb as you go and fasten into frames for the new hive as you desire. When done put the vacuumed bees into the new hive. Depending on the situation this could be after you have placed the new hive in its location. Make sure the vacuumed bees have enough ventilation so they don't overheat while being moved.


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## queenbee3074 (Mar 7, 2013)

John Davis said:


> Vac the bees, cut out the comb as you go and fasten into frames for the new hive as you desire. When done put the vacumed bees into the new hive. Depending on the situation this could be after you have placed the new hive in its location. Make sure the vacumed bees have enough ventilation so they don't overheat while being moved.


I will probably have to leave the vacuum set up overnight to get the last of the bees. Then the following morning move them to final location. So the brood would be dead by then wouldn't it?


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)




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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)




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## dtrooster (Apr 4, 2016)

Look up 'jpthebeeman' on YouTube. He's got videos of cutouts done in every imaginable situation


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## Ryan McEachern (Dec 18, 2011)

Like everything beekeeping - lots of different options that work.

I changed my vacuum setup around last season so it takes normal brood boxes like cartridges in between a modified top cover and bottom board, so I can just pop the top and add a box of full banded frames and button them back up without much disruption, but what I did before I could swap boxes around in the vacuum was: 

I always left some bees on the comb that gets banded into frames, I didn't vacuum them all off. Just a strip or two where I need to put my hands. I use the vacuum a lot to get bees out of the nooks and crannies, and off any honey comb that's not worth banding into frames, that goes into a bucket with a lid, for crush and strain later.

Keep an eye on how many bees are on the frames you are banding and keeping, if you think it's low, shake some extra bees in instead of vacuuming them up.


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

queenbee3074 said:


> I will probably have to leave the vacuum set up overnight to get the last of the bees. Then the following morning move them to final location. So the brood would be dead by then wouldn't it?


Why the concern of getting the last of the bees? 

Or vacuum some of the bees -- put them in the hive with the brood, then vacuum rest of bees (and finish up to get last of bees. That way you have bees on the brood, without making sure they're altogether at once.

Have you seen any of the YouTube videos by JPTheBeeMan? Maybe get some ideas from his videos.


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