Below are some notes on using a blower that I wrote for a proposed (under
construction) 'Tips & Tricks' page on our website.  Any comments welcome!

Peter Edwards
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Using a Bee Blower

The most important point is to avoid any breaking any comb, because the bees
will be blown against the exposed honey and there they will stick! The honey
will also be blown in a very fine spray and this will cover bees and
equipment (such as a chute). This will also encourage robbing.

To avoid these problems, I try to ensure that all supers are cracked apart
on the visit prior to the harvest so that the bees clean up any brace comb
and loose honey before my visit to collect the supers; odd bits of brace
comb between the supers can be removed with the hive tool and placed on the
crown board and bees will come up through the feed hole, remove the honey
and leave dry wax.

I would strongly advise against removing, or even disturbing, any of the
frames prior to blowing for two reasons: firstly, because any damage to the
comb - perhaps by breaking brace comb - will lead to the problems outlined
above and, secondly, because the very powerful air stream can easily blow
frames out of the super when stood on end. I do not use a chute or stand,
but work in one of two ways depending on conditions:

If the bees are in a good mood, I often simply stand behind the hive, slide
the super forward slightly and lift the front so that it is stood on end
with the frames vertical and the top bars towards me. I blow out most of the
bees and then stand it on its other end with the bottom bars towards me and
blow out the rest. The super is then removed and the next one cleared in the
same way.

However, if we are just at the end of a flow, it can be difficult to keep
the bees down working this way, so I then remove the supers and place them
on an upturned roof either beside or about 4' in front of the hive, put the
crown board back on the hive and then clear the supers. If there is robbing
then it may be best to clear one hive at a time, otherwise the supers can be
removed from a number of hives before starting blowing.

I always try to blow bees up into the air rather than into the ground or
straight at the hive - I want them to live a bit longer!

It is important to blow from the top of the super first - combs are often
thicker at the top and blowing from the bottom first will wedge lumps of
bees between the combs.

It is much easier to blow bees off sealed honey as they have less footholds.

The blower nozzle should be waggled from side to side, rather than simply
directing a steady stream of air at the bees - this catches them off their
guard and they lose their grip. (I once had a bee in the car which I allowed
to crawl on to my finger and then put my hand out of the window to get rid
of it; to my surprise, it simply held tight - we were travelling at 70 mph
at the time!)

Position the blower motor as far as possible from the hives; the bees hate
the vibration and are also very sensitive to the high voltage to the
sparking plug - they will sting the rubber cap on it and, if there are
enough of them, may even stall the engine by forming a bridge between the
plug cap and the earth lever used to stop the engine.

It is not necessary to remove every last bee, especially if working at an
out-apiary. Flying bees will often land back on the supers when you have
finished blowing, but this does not matter as they will leave later;
however, it is important to dislodge young bees that will not be inclined to
fly. I stack supers on the trailer as I work, covering them loosely if there
is any robbing and then, when I have finished, drive a couple of hundred
yards away and stop for a few minutes; covers are removed and most the bees
left in the supers fly back to the apiary. Sometimes it is worth driving a
bit further and then stopping again.

Peter Edwards

8 November 2001

---- Original Message -----
From: "preacher" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 21 August 2002 03:43
Subject: [BEE-L] leaf blower


> Hello all,
> I just tried out some advice some of you talked about.
> I got a weed blower and used it removing bees. And I believe my bee ecsape
> days are over. Worked great, no mad bees, and quicker time made.
> thanks
> preacher
>