Callout

I got called out to get some bee that had taken up residence in a bird box. The box was about 10 feet in a tree and the owner wanted to replace the box. So down came the bee's box and all. Latrell my wife , came with me along with our new pet, Emma a terrier puppy.







We transported the whole box back to the house and started to move them into there new home.







Thanks to my awesome wife we have some photos of the event !

I think judging by the comb , how soft it was and the amount that this swarm had only been there a few weeks.

Bee Vac

Today i had Katie at home she's been sick all weekend. Whilst she was asleep i started building something that i have wanted for a long time.

Last season i caught 3 swarms , unfortunately none of them made it and one even flew away the next day after capturing them. I think the reason behind this was i didn't get the queen in two cases and didn't transfer the other swarm from the cardboard nuc to a hive body.

I've been reading various ideas regarding a Bee Vac. The problem with most commercial available vac's is that they are small and then require you to transfer the bee's to a deep after the event. This stress's the bee's and adds another step in the process. Wouldnt it be better to vac the bee's straight into a deep. The other problem is there over $200.

Rob at Robo's World is a very good beekeeper with some good ideas and after reading his artical on his bee vac i thought i would be myself one. I had found an old shop vac, 1 gallon , 1 hp Vacum in a dump. So i borrowed it as they say in england and went to Lowes to get some wood and addtional hose for my little project.

Mine is not as alaborate as rob's but i think i did a good job. The vac is curently waiting its second coat of paint and then ill take some photographs off it for you all to see.