Bee Vac - Easy to make, Cheap, and Very effective

[@navyphil6105]

Looks good. I think the seal between the two buckets would not need the door trim. Ever tried to pull two buckets apart that are one in another? Pretty good suction between them.

[@navyphil6105]

I built this and the seal between the buckets is not enough. I did not use foam trim though. I ran electrical tape around the bucket a few inches below the handle holes til it made a good seal.

[@kariwalker3360]

I think this is the very best directions for a bee vacume I have seen

[@jennythmozenkopeterson5801]

I tried your design and it worked beautifully! Took a hive this morning and no one was smushed. It was perfect. Thank you for sharing!

[@cliffordthomas9623]

Great project, if you install a pvc valve right before your vac intake you can slow down the intake pressure so not to slam the bees. Thanks for the info I will be building one.

[@scotthenderson4376]

I followed yours and it worked perfect. I did 4 screen sections (about 1/2 the was screen) and was amazed they need more airflow then just sitting in the shade with a breeze blowing. Thanks for the video

[@neilzehebtbauer5317]

I really like your design and was actually building a very similar one when I found your video, now I don't have to test mine, just use it. I'm going to try a Dewalt vacuum that uses 18 volt, 20 volt batteries or 110 volt cord for those times when I don't have electric handy and it's small. Thanks for the video 👍

[@tonilee1714]

Great video! I am going to try to make one this weekend.

[@jamesleo2299]

Well done im thinking about trying it seeing the bees have taken up residence in my roof. Dont want to kill them. I wonder if i could just block the hole and let them find another place to home?

[@chrisk1944]

Thanks for the post; great ideas 🙂

[@dkeithcollins]

I like your design.

[@rstlr01]

Thank You for this Video! So that bucket headed home depot and was thinking this would be perfect!

[@elizabethsansom6447]

Thank you so much for sharing I’m gonna make one over the weekend God bless you stay safe and have a great day

[@mcdaver1640]

Thanks! How the dickens can 30K people watch this and not take the time to throw a thumbs up? Good job. I appreciate you.

[@KyleCowden]

How about a damper on the lid to adjust the suction into the bucket? Otherwise, looks like a brilliant design.

[@Fredengle]

Hi got a question for you can we be certain that I cannot use my vac with a 6 or larger gallon bucket if the bucket top lid fits securely thoughts please thank you

[@dorinmelinte2187]

Can you add a check valve to the top of the bucket to prevent them from escaping?

[@psyched1231]

You won't need to worry about bees escaping through the hose. They don't. However, when you remove the hose, you'll need to put a cap on the pipe.

[@321homewrecker]

The Suction bucket, is the house for the vacuum a 1" 1/4? Because I have a few of those hoses and was curious if I can just put the same adapters on the top as the Suction bucket?

[@scotthenderson4376]

Love this idea have you tried it with the suction going in the lid and coming out the lid to reduce holes in buckets? ( only the screen bucket is cut and all holes in the lid)

[@johncelletti3108]

the bucket head hose seems to be way too small for the 1 and 1/2 " adapter I may be missing something.

[@psyched1231]

The 1 1/2" hose goes in the top of the catch bucket not the Bucket Head. The hose that comes with the Bucket Head connects the Bucket Head to the catch bucket.

[@mickeymallette2663]

Sorry to revive an older video thread, but I was wondering if you experimented with different sized openings covered with the pet screen material on the bee holding bucket. Does the size of those two ventilation openings affect the suction greatly?

[@psyched1231]

I don't think the opening size affects the suction. This size and setup has proven to result in about the perfect suction pressure without any adjustments.

[@mickeymallette2663]

@@psyched1231 thanks! what are the approximate dimensions of those screened cutouts?

[@goldensilver793]

I like the design...do you think a carburetor on suction hose or the collection bucket be a good thing and thereby slowing the air flow to whatever giving greater flow control...

[@psyched1231]

No, actually, with this design just the way it is, the suction is perfect for the bees. No adjustment is needed.

[@goldensilver793]

@@psyched1231 Ok...thanks...love this beekeepin....Find that I am able to worry over them like I would kids or grandkids...

[@leeshaffer9618]

Loved the design and we built it yesterday and used it very successfully today. How do you move the bees from the capture bucket to the new super?

[@psyched1231]

After I vac the bees, cut out the hive, and frame the comb, I put the deep 10-frame box as close to the old entrance as possible. If I haven't found the queen, when vaccing, I aim the exhaust at a wall if available. If I see bees land where the air is hitting the wall, I know the queen is in the vac. When all is done, I dump the bucket of bees on to the top of the hive box and carefully put the lid on. I'll come back later that evening or next morning. If the bees are in the hive, I button up and go home. If not, there is usually a cluster of bees somewhere with the queen in it. Once the cluster with the queen is in the hive, that's it.

[@leeshaffer9618]

Ok thanks. I closed up the front entrance and put an empty hive body on top of the one with the frames and dumped two buckets of bees into the boxs and I'm going to leave it like that until tomorrow, when I'll open the front and put on apiece of plastic queen excluder on the entrance. I'm feeding them with a little sugar water tonight. I'll See how it works. It was a very tight squeeze and difficult in the attic to be able to find the queen.

[@sayravega833]

What type of foam did you use for the bottom of the bucket? Also you mentioned that you used a pool hose that had leaks... Did you cut off the portion that had the leaks?

[@psyched1231]

I cut a piece of from an old foam mattress pad. It was around an 1" thick. I think I mentioned that I covered it with a plastic grocery bag so that the surface would be slick and the bees wouldn't get their legs stuck in the foam. Works great. Yes. It was a 30' - 1 1/2" pool hose. I used about 8ft from the end with no leaks.

[@PCDbabySdarkangel]

Do you have a materials list?

[@traceykays433]

That's what I was looking for

[@rgavin469]

Yrs plz need parts list, plz

[@stufarnham]

Did you consider using a blast gate on the bee bucket to regulate the vacuum? That might have reduced the velocity at which the bees entered the bucket, eliminating the need for the foam bottom. Just curious. This looks like a good, inexpensive solution for people like me who do not need (and don’t want to pay for) a commercial bee vac.

[@psyched1231]

The vac suction is about right with this design. Reducing the suction any more will make vaccing the bees up quite difficult. A soft bottom for the bees to his is critically important for any bee vac regardless of the suction. I've looked into the commercial vacs and most are wooden boxes which I find heavy and cumbersome in doing a cut-out. I have no trouble paying for one, but I like to keep things light and easy to handle as possible.

[@elizabethsansom6447]

Please please please contact me. I have a flow hive that I bought several years ago. It’s starting to fall apart so I’m gonna have to get a new one. I really need your input on how to do this the right way. I’d really highly appreciate it if you could contact me thank you so much God bless u

[@psyched1231]

I love the flow system and gotten hundreds of pounds of honey using it. Here is my video on how I've found to use it. - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oofOqnZjnpZ-Zs0 This video contains about all the info that I could tell you about how to be successful with the flow.

[@kendenspady1139]

Ummm