Maybe you have been suckered into buying one of those toy bug vacs for your kids:

Only to find out they suck, or don't suck (depending on your use of the word).

Sadly little Johnny's dreams of becoming the next great entomologist fade as quickly as the charge on the AA batteries that power his bug vacs tiny fan.

But with a random trip to a garage sale or thrift store and a little rummaging through the recycle bin you can save the day with a tool that is indispensable on your next nature hike or in saving loved ones from the occasional rogue house spider.

Step 1: Stuff You Need

I put this together with the parts I could find. How you put yours together could vary greatly depending on the parts and pieces you can scrounge up.

Cordless hand vac\dust buster ( I got mine for $6 at a thrift store)

Acrylic tube: I picked this up somewhere because I thought it might be handy for something... and it was. A fluorescent bulb protector tube or some other type of product packaging would work.

I larger diameter clear plastic jar: I used a vitamin jar. ( a different one, an empty one of course)

a piece of screen,

scissors, mat knife, drill (your tools may vary)

Note: I suppose you could just use the cordless vac as it is to suck up bugs; but what's the fun in that? The point is to be able to see them in the chamber once you capture them and easily remove them to transfer into your collection jar (or flush them down the toilet if so inclined) .

Step 2: Remove the Nose and Inspect

Remove the front of the Vac and see what you have to work with.

Step 3: Modify the Filter/Filter Holder

I was willing to modify mine because i never intend to use it to clean the couch. Only to catch bugs.

Cut off the filter holder, replace the filter with a screen, because you want more suction and it does not need to stop fine particulate (just bugs)

Step 4: Prepping the Tube Receiver (Jar Lid)

Cut a hole in the cap of the jar, I was fortunate, the end of the acrylic tube was threaded and screwed nicely into a 1 1/8" hole (one of two sizes of forstner bits I own.)

Step 5: Prepping the Chamber (plastic Bottle)

Cut of the other end of the jar, mark it straight and trim it flush.

Step 6: Minor Adjustments

The bottom of the jar did not quite fit over the flange on the cut off filter holder. I briefly dipped it into a pan of barely boiling water after arguing with my wife (something about clean stove or burnt plastic or good pan or...) and it slid nicely over the flange.