Bee-listers, I posted a message recently about finding a bee vacuum that would remove bees from difficult places and not pulverize the bees. Mike Griggs was kind enough to enlighten me on a system that he uses and some resources. I have posted his messages to the list with his permission. If anyone has any more leads on a bee vacuum system, please post to the list. Paul Cronshaw DC Cyberchiro and Hobby Beekeeper Santa Barbara, CA ------Original Message----- X-Sender: [log in to unmask] Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 09:59:48 -0400 To: [log in to unmask] (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) From: Mike Griggs <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Bee removal Paul, You are right that this is a bit hard on the bees. soft nurse bees are often hurt. The trade off is that this method does allow for a qick cvlean up of bees in areas that are hard to get to or to clean up the confusion in an otherwise difficult situation. I try to use less intrusive methods when possile. But here are a few tips to reduce insect deaths going into the vacuum capture box. I had to play around with strenghts of the vacuum so I could suck up bees without accelerating to the point that they slam into the walls and get hurt. I also use a smooth hose to suck up the bees. The corregated hose of the vacuum is to slow down particle impaction. This causes the bees to bump and bang all the way to the trap. Finally I constructed a cloth trampoline for the bees to bouce onto rather than a wooden wall. This is just a piece of thin streachy cloth that sill allows air through and provides a soft landing. Hope this helps Mike *********** X-Sender: [log in to unmask] Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Fri, 6 Sep 1996 09:37:20 -0400 To: [log in to unmask] (Paul Cronshaw, D.C.) From: Mike Griggs <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Bee removal Paul, Didn't get back to you sooner as I was preparing my truck for annual inspection. After thirty years, the last eight with extreme salt, it took longer than expected. I have seen vacuum collection devise designs for many insects. Some are powered by gas enjine,electric motor, or aspiration. The emergence of the rechargable battery industry offers hope that a truly portable and efficient method will someday arrise. Imagine a battery operated turbine that would provide enough power for say a leaf blower, reverse the air flow to provide enough suction to collect bees in a collection container. Mobile, quiet, effficient and reusable. I currently use an old GE vacuum I pulled from the trash. I was using an electrolux but my wife lectured me on the use of household utilities in barns. It really doesn't take to much suction to collect bees. One could regulate flow by providing a seondary intake orifice with adjustible size. by increasing the secondary hole the strength of thesuction at the collection port would be reduced. I have seen collector devises in either or both ABJ and Bee Culture. The idea is not new, it is quite easy and effective one need only to devise a working soln from available sources. With any operation the quicker the machinery the higher the chance to cause damage. I often trade the increase in speed for slightly increase in loss. I expect to loose some bees especially during a house removal. I loose significantly fewer during a swarm capture. The trampoline just decreases my losses. Post whatever you would like. Perhaps you would have the time and initative to come up with a workable plan and post them up for all to see. Cheers Mike .-~~~-. / } / .-~ \ | } \.~~-.-~| . -~_ / \./ \/\ { O | ` .-~. ; ~-.__ __{^\_ _}_ ) }/^\ ~--~/-|_\| : : .-~ / /\_/^\._}_/ // / / | \~ - - ~ ( (__{(@)}\__}.//_/_____/_____|____\_______________ \__/{/(_)\_} )\\ \\--------------------------------- ( (__)_)_/ )\ \> Mike Griggs [log in to unmask] \__/\__/ Entomologist/Support Scientist HTTP://www.ppru.cornell.edu/biocontrol/griggs.html