Honey Bee Swarms in tight spots, my Best tool for that is the Colorado Bee Vacuum, here we go!
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- Опубліковано 5 лип 2024
- In this video, I find a honey bee swarm on one of my corner fence posts, and the bees are on both sides of the fence.
This is a perfect job for a bee vacuum.
I also explain why I selected the Colorado Bee Vac, and how I use it.
Enjoy!
This is a long video, so if you just want the specifics, here are the topic key points:
1:00 swarm on post
Vac setup
20:08 Exhaust vent attracting bees
20:33 Close the gate
20:49 Uncover the box so bees can breathe.
21:15 Place CBV on a 10 frame Langstroth Hive
21:41 On the hive
22:06 Interior view, check for dead or mangled bees.
22:26 Bee blower on a tiny scale
23:16 Insert tray removal
23:31 Rain arrives, box removed.
24:55 12 days after install, pollen coming in, all is well.
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This is my complete review of the Colorado Bee Vac:
• Colorado Bee Vac Compl...
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Outstanding video for this owner of a virgin Colorado bee vac. Your monolog during the vacuuming excellent as well. Thank you for posting.
Thank you so much :)
I’m going to take this as your video resume. Nice work. You’re hired. 😊
Dear Randy, I'd work with you for FREE... so long as you're within a one hour drive :)
Great video. My homemade bee vacuum looks like the CBV.
I remember watching back thru Randy's videos (628 dirt rooster) and hearing him say to use the lowest vacuum setting possible too. It only makes sense. If I bought one and was using Lungstrom hive I would lean toward that system also. I'm sure I could configure a version for a Layens setup if I put in the time. Great video, thanks for sharing it with us as always.
For layens or other sizes, I just put the box in front of the hive and let them walk in after being in the Vac Box overnight. It works nicely also. But that method would also work with the portable vac that Mr. Ed Likes.
Very informative!! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…. While I don’t intend on collecting swarms I could see this in my arsenal. You never know when you have too… great job on this video!!!
Thank you so much!
Wonderful demo of the CBV. I purchased one late winter and built a second box because I'm retired and have time and materials.
You are definitely correct on the vacuum adjustment. I finally had a call to collect a swarm 2 weeks ago. Had the vent adjustment almost fully closed for best suction. Arrived home and mounted the recovery box on a 10 frame hive body on top of a Ceracell Bee Escape and pulled out the sheet tray. Next day went out to check on the transfer progress only to find that there was considerable amounts of dead bees remaining on the bee escape. Because of the almost maximum vacuum pressure they were apparently slammed to the back of the box. To make things worse, one of the casualties may have been the queen, since she was no where to be seen when I inspected a few days later. I need to find a clear tube for the intake wand, such as you have done, so I can see the actual rate that the bees are being sucked in.
Lessons learned.
Where you able to obtain the clear tube?
I just picked up the clear tube at Home Depot, and others on Amazon. They are great.
Thank you Fred, you could get one of those portable power stations, like the EcoFlow or similar ones. I do like the fact that they go directly into the 10 frame deep box.
Nice! A good way to get them into a hive from a hard place.
Nice job Fred!! I quit counting at 40 swarms this season. It’s been crazy. I had one today that turned into a cutout under a mobile home. Thanks!!
I think this is by far, the year of the swarm! Nearly everyone seems to be overwhelmed by the number of colonies swarming out.
Very enjoyable ❤
cant wait to see your bottom board w tray
Again great video Fred thank you heading home today from our world bee tour 😂😂😂
Fred have you heard of this happening. Formic pro, exp date 2025. 4 hives all relieved from honey bound. 2 strip/10day application. Have used it before with no issues, proper application/max temp 75. 4th day single hive went insane! I live in suburbs so temperament is #1 trait. My Bees are sissies, tee-shirt and shorts. 2nd year awesome queen. Bee's were chasing and stinging neighbors, going for head shots. Suited up found queen, eggs present, no swarm cells. Had a fellow Beekeeper come over. Were all over us, emergency dispatching with buckets of dawn. No time for bag. Put on veil, walked around the house taking stings (15) to keep neighbors safe. Never a dull day...
You can mix up your dawn and water into one of those pump sprayers and have it handy, those extension wands work very well for a situation like that. You made a good call, take no chances with children around and bees going after everything. Formic is pretty strong, are you saying that they were fine until you installed the pads? Thanks for sharing.
@@FrederickDunn Had this line (Barnyard bees) for 3 years, raise my own queens. All my hives are docile. This was last year great queen. I've never worn my suit, just a veil. I thought maybe Queenless, she was in there and laying. This happened 4th day, first 3 fine and other 3 hives fine. I pulled all the treatments and others are not effected. In commercial outfits it would be hard to tell, wonder if any other backyard beekeepers have seen this. Used a spray bottle to catch the incoming for an hour. Going to drop an email to the company.
Another great video!
Hello Mister Frederik 🥰🥰🥰🥰
While the Colorado Bee Vac is a good product when electricity is close I have my bees on a farm. we have electric transmission lines all around but no 110 v plugs :(... I would use an inverter but those are hard on batteries. Another complication for me is that I drive an electric vehicle. If it had a 110v plug that would be great but sadly it doesn't. I found a lithium battery operated one and it works just fine the only drawback is that it doesn't have Langstroth frames in it or a handy slide. BTW that is a lot of extension cord! I love the clear tube as well!
I've just ordered the Everything Bee Vac for those remote locations. Being able to hike to the bees would be another bonus.
Just being a smart-alec, pain in the butt, but at the 17:12 point, there is one bee with pollin on its legs standing on the tree stump. Just reinforcing your reply to my comment to another video you did about potential swarming. That being about taking resources with them.
Not a pain in the butt at all. The foragers, even those with pollen will just get swept up with the swarm and take whatever they have with them. It's like you're bringing groceries home and the family is bugging out... you don't bother to unpack :)
Love this it’s great ,I could have done with that bee vac but I managed considering it was my 1st attempt at getting bees out of a wisteria but they are all doing well 😅😅
Awesome :)
I wonder if there is any test of research on a standard for counting drone brood and mite load? Brood per square measurement = load. As always Fred's nicely done video very informative
The only issue with that is that not all colonies have much drone brood, and the drone brood varies widely throughout the productive year. But it would be worth a look in my opinion :)
Great info thank you again, btw your opinion about mushrooms mycelium hives
I'm on Paul Stamets waiting list, lots of researchers working on that and they are hitting many stumbling blocks. I'll be sharing about that when and if it becomes viable for honey bees.
Fred, great video and info, Thanks!! Quick question, I use the same hive stands and noticed you've notched a 2x6 for the supports. I've been thinking of doing the same thing to try and get a more stable piece of lumber (I'm cheap, no 2 treated is all I'll use for now 😎), is that what you're doing, or is it for another reason?
I just happened to have 2x6 stock, so I cut the ends down. 2x4 is fine unless you're going to support multiple hives on the same stand.
Hi Fred, Remember the entrance attachment you discussed last year that was sold on Indigogo!? The promotion was from a blond Canadian gal. I've forgotten her name. Did you try them, and if so what is your thought? I have one on a hive that seemed very active unit today. Any thoughts?
Yes, from Best for Bees, I have them and just haven't deployed those yet.
@@FrederickDunn I was hoping you had some experience with them. I have one on the hive pkg I received two weeks ago. The bee activity has declined, so I am very nervous. These are Russian Hybrids.
Great Video!!! Where did you get the clear tube for the Colorado Bee Vac? Were you using the 30 foot hose? I have the 10 foot and I think I should go longer to reach out there for a swarm.
I think I found it on Amazon? :) I use the 10 foot hose whenever possible, when it's high in a tree, I shift to the 30 foot.
@@FrederickDunn Thanks so much, did you get the 30 foot hose from Colorado bee vacuum (Better Bee)?
@@rmbuser Yes, from betterbee.
Have you stopped putting HiveGates on all your hives?
For now, yes. I didn't see a measurable difference here, but others have had marked advantages with them.
Where did you get that end piece from the clear one?
I purchased that from Home Depot :)
@@FrederickDunn Thanks You
@@FrederickDunn what I meant to say, was thank you
Can it handle large bumble bees?
Yes, and ground yellow jackets etc...
How do you catch a swarm that’s spread out on a tree
Wait for them so cluster, then if they are on a branch, I shake them down into a butterfly net. If they are on a larger branch, then the Bee Vac. If not electricity... I think it's time to look at that backpack portable vac system.
@@FrederickDunn thanks for your reply