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Fri, 2 Oct 1998 17:30:28 -0600
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Hi Christopher & all,
 
I'm not sure if you were referring to my post on the construction of a
bee vacuum cleaner, but this answer might help.
 
If your setting is right for the vacuum-suction, you shouldn't kill more
than 20-30 bees in vacuuming 20-30,000 bees.  My setting is so low that
I'm usually tapping on the hose & junction of the box to get the bees to
move through to the collection box.
 
On the other hand, if your' setting is too high, you'll likely kill over
half of them (dead bees make a good cushion for new bees entering the
box - though this is a heartbreaking thing to find after all the hard
work in catching the bees).
 
Two or three beekeepers e-mailed me with different bee-vacuum's - one
made out of a plastic bucket.  Anyone have a picture of theirs to
share?  I'll post pictures of mine as soon as I find a digital camera.
 
For next year, I'll be modifying some heavy guage plastic hose (found at
Home Depot in the pool/plumbing section) which is completely smooth on
the inside bore.  I'm sure this will make a good deal of difference over
the normal bumpy hose.  I'll also find some heavy-gauge clear plastic to
make another bee-vacuum with so I can see the air-flow and the bees
being vacuumed into their box.
 
Matthew
 
Christopher Slade wrote:
 
> The bee vacuum cleaner sounds a bit brutal if it causes that many
> casualties.
> Often one is able to drive bees from their comb to the container of
> one's
> choice by setting up a vibration.

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