# Vacuumed my first bees today



## Swampsquash (Oct 25, 2014)

Brad Bee said:


> 1) If I got the queen and she somehow survived the ride through the 10 foot hose, it's an absolute miracle
> 2) It's probably a bad thing when you hear the bees being sucked through the hose
> 3) It was much more work than I figured it would be
> 4) If I didn't kill the queen, it will be a miracle
> ...


I hear them with my vacuum....But I don't get alot of casualties. If they die it's later on down the road. 
You should be able to adust the suction ammount. Don't be afraid of cutouts....They are alot of fun(as long as they are friendly). But they do take alot longer then you expect. I just use the bee vac for number reduction and really don't just suck them all up, unless I am far away from home and can't come back to get them at night.
I use pool hose and have three different sizes depending on how high off the ground I am. Normally try to use the shortest possible length that will get the job done. But your right it does clog much worse then I ever expected as well.
I feel you on the ladder....I am 6'6" 295lbs and not very graceful lol....Ladders don't suit me either. 
The best thing I ever did was get my GF into doing cutouts with me....and now shes the one who wants to do all the cutting and queen spotting.


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## bradkeskey (Jun 18, 2009)

Brad Bee, thats one of the funniest bee related posts Ive read, well done!

I agree with Swampsquash. I've used my vacuum for approximately a dozen swarms, from actual roof cutouts to a clump of bees on a tree. I have yet to not get a surviving queen through the hose @ Mach 5 and I end up with very few dead bees. I really love the vacuum. Great tips too for new swarm catchers out there!


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

Loved the story, but, don't give up on a vacuum. One of the greatest aides in a cutout, if properly used.

After you do a few cutouts I believe you will enjoy doing them, getting free bees, getting paid to do it, etc. Also great stories can come from cutouts. Also real life experiences with bees.

cchoganjr


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

cutouts are so easy a girl could do it  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okhSftCu4sc


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

1) If I got the queen and she somehow survived the ride through the 10 foot hose, it's an absolute miracle Bees are tough
2) It's probably a bad thing when you hear the bees being sucked through the hose turn the suction down and get a smooth pool hose
3) It was much more work than I figured it would be try a cut out!
4) If I didn't kill the queen, it will be a miracle bees are tough
5) I don't like working off a ladder does anyone? lol
6) Always take Duct tape on a swarm call what did you use it for?
7) Fencing style veils will get you stung on the face wear a baseball hat under the veil. No issues then.
8) The hose plugged up with bees more than I thought it would a swarm bee is full of honey
9) When the hose plugs with bees, don't put your hand completely over the suction "lessening" slide, or you'll hear a big thump when the clogged up bees lose their grip on the hose and get sucked into the box at Mach 5 and hit the back of the box it happens
10) If I didn't kill the queen, it's a miracle. miracles do happen
11) No way I'll ever do a cut out that's what I said once, now I do it as a side job!
12) I'm going to have to make me my own bee vacuum, just in case. Good idea


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. I left out all the funny parts too. LOL While I was working my largest hive at home, I squatted down and split the crotch in my pants. I got stung about 10 times in my nether regions while inspecting the hive. At the time I didn't realize my pants were ripped or I would have stop, dropped and rolled.

I used duct tape to patch my blue jeans when I got to the swarm call and to tape the hose into the pvc pipe fittings where it went into the box. I also taped the hard extensions from the shop vac to the end of the hose making it easier to reach back into the cavity and get the bees.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

NOW I'm sorry I asked. lol


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## CoryM465 (Jan 26, 2016)

Homedepot sells one that mounts onto a 5 gallon bucket, that I've used once with excellent results. I cut 3 - 2.25" holes into it and wrapped then in wire I used for my bottoms. I put that bucket into an unaltered 5 gallon bucket (vac will not work with a bucket with holes). It resulted in a very gentle suction that was barely strong enough. 

I did my first swarm removal last Sunday from a cherry blossom. The swarm was at eye level when I started. I didn't use any protection other than mechanix framer's gloves until I had half the bees and one decided it was going to try and take out my eyeball (got stung in the side of the nose). I put the the veil on and got the rest of the bees (well 95% of the swarm). I got stung a couple of times in the arm in the process of getting 2-3 gallons of bees. I got home with them and didn't have a single dead bee in the bucket. 

It took about an hour to get all the bees and was a very pleasant experience even towards the end and the branch was well above my head.


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

CoryM465 said:


> Homedepot sells one that mounts onto a 5 gallon bucket, that I've used once with excellent results. I cut 3 - 2.25" holes into it and wrapped then in wire I used for my bottoms. I put that bucket into an unaltered 5 gallon bucket (vac will not work with a bucket with holes). It resulted in a very gentle suction that was barely strong enough.


Not sure I completely followed this:

Did you put the vacuum (I looked it up on the web -- looks interesting and reasonable) in a 5 gallon bucket that you had cut 3 holes in (the bottom of that bucket?) and "screened" those holes and then put that bucket (w/ vacuum ) in another vacuum? Do I have this right?


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

CoryM, were the bees hanging from a limb on the cherry tree?


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## CoryM465 (Jan 26, 2016)

Brad Bee said:


> CoryM, were the bees hanging from a limb on the cherry tree?


Yes they were.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Not that it matters but I'm curious as to why you vacuumed them off instead of shaking them?


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

I've only used my bushkill bee vac once, and it was nothing like what you wrote above.

No clogs or jams. Less than 10 dead bees in the box. 

Low suction. Tickle the bees with a paint brush so they try to fly but get sucked into the hose instead. You don't want clumps of bees going down the hose


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

crmauch said:


> Not sure I completely followed this:
> 
> Did you put the vacuum (I looked it up on the web -- looks interesting and reasonable) in a 5 gallon bucket that you had cut 3 holes in (the bottom of that bucket?) and "screened" those holes and then put that bucket (w/ vacuum ) in another vacuum? Do I have this right?


I think he is talking about the "moots bee vac" I made one like this and it works great! http://www.beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=40478.0


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