I saw one in use by Dr. Jim Tew,  Ohio State  I believe. This was a
video. He used a shipping box that packaged bees comes in. The type that
screen wire has on both sides, wooden top with a hole in for removal.
This displaces three frames in a deep brood.  This was placed in a box
that appeared to be a cut down deep brood chamber. There was a hole cut
in the side facing the screen wire, to this was attached the suction hose
from the "Shop Vac" There was a little space between the side and the
screen to prevent the bees from being sucked tight against the screen.
Next to this opening, approx. three inches was another hole about three
inches in diameter. This had a flap attached with a bolt and a wingnut.
This could be used to adjust the air flow to keep from sucking the bees
too fast and hard.
The lid of the box had an adapter for the hose to pick up the bees with.
It was mounted right over the hole in the top of the shipping box. When
the bees had been retrieved, you need to quickly open the box, place
cover over hole in shipping box, remove it from the larger box, then
spray bees with light sugar syrup to calm them down.
The uses for this unit are only limited by your imagination. (Attach a
twenty foot piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe and retrieve a swarm from up in
a tree.)
With a small generator it can be used where there is no power.
 
I am doing this from memory so hope it doesn't confuse the issue.  Good
Luck!
 
Bob Neely
Goose Creek, SC USA
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On Sun, 11 May 1997 08:04:08 -0400 Cesar Flores <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>I have decided to build my own bee vacuum instead of buying one! I am
>perforating a 5 gal bucket with many small holes in the bottom, then
>inserting it into another bucket. A bee collection hose leads into the
>lid, a
>vacuum hose from the bottom bucket creates suction to draw the swarm
>into the
>perforated bucket. Vacuum pressure generated by a reversed leaf
>blower.
>Comments?
>