Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 05:39:35 PM

Title: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 05:39:35 PM
Any suggestions on lure for a bait hive?

I just built 7 from plans from Bushkill.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/BushkillSwarmTrap.pdf (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/BushkillSwarmTrap.pdf)
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: BeeMaster2 on July 26, 2014, 07:02:29 PM
Quote from: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 05:39:35 PM
Any suggestions on lure for a bait hive?

I just built 7 from plans from Bushkill.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/BushkillSwarmTrap.pdf (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/BushkillSwarmTrap.pdf)
The best thing to use is a q-tip 1/2 dipped in lemon grass oil, placed in a small baggie, sealed and cut a 1/4" piece off the corner. Place it in the bottom of the trap close to the entrance. If you ever remove a queen, do not toss it, place it in a small jar of alcohol. Then when you place a trap, add her to it. If it is the middle of the day and drones are around, they will find your trap within 20 minutes. So will the workers.
Jim
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 07:11:55 PM
Thanks sawdstmakr!  :) I'll try that.
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Michael Bush on July 26, 2014, 08:11:46 PM
The most important thing is the lemongrass oil.  Next most helpful is QMP, which can be in the form of queen juice (the juice from a jar full of alcohol and retired queens) or Psuedo Queen (which you can buy from various bee supply places).  Next would be old black brood comb.  Next would be a well used bee box...  One way to get some smell on your bait hives is to use them for nucs from time to time...
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: BeeMaster2 on July 26, 2014, 10:05:23 PM
Quote from: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 07:11:55 PM
Thanks sawdstmakr!  :) I'll try that.

NP, good luck.
Jim
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Chick on July 27, 2014, 04:17:29 AM
Heck, the lemongrass oil is so strong, the smell will leach through a zip lock bag, So, a few drop on a swab or paper towel, placed in a zip lock bag, without cutting the bag, works. I use the small plastic centrifuge tubes to hold the LGO.
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Michael Bush on July 27, 2014, 12:16:18 PM
>Heck, the lemongrass oil is so strong...

Yes, anything more than four drops is too much.  A Q-tip worth is just right.
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Dallasbeek on July 29, 2014, 10:16:57 PM
If nothing else, I've read that old brood comb wax smeared on the inside of the trap works.  A combination of two or more of the things mentioned should work better, but LGO would be the tope choice, and a whole lot easier.

Gary
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: capt44 on July 31, 2014, 10:38:28 AM
I just use lemon grass oil.
I cut a large diameter straw in 2 inch pieces and fill half full of cotton.
I add the lemon grass oil to the cotton and finish filling the straw with cotton.
I pin it up high in the back of the swarm trap.
I also put a piece of old comb from and cut out of a tree inside the trap in the back.
I put out 19 traps in the city of Searcy, AR and I have 19 traps full of bees right now.
I tried traps with queen pheromone lures and they never had any activity.
But I replaced the queen lure with lemon grass oil and they caught bees.
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Dallasbeek on July 31, 2014, 11:43:24 AM
Who can argue with success like that?  You must have just about every bee in Searcy, AR!
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Michael Bush on August 02, 2014, 12:38:46 PM
It's all about stacking the deck--improving the odds.  If you use QMP, old black brood comb and a well used box your odds are not as good is a new box with lemongrass oil.  But if you use them all, you can actually lure a swarm out of a tree most of the time...
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: sc-bee on August 02, 2014, 07:55:32 PM
Quote from: Michael Bush on August 02, 2014, 12:38:46 PM
It's all about stacking the deck--improving the odds.  If you use QMP, old black brood comb and a well used box your odds are not as good is a new box with lemongrass oil.  But if you use them all, you can actually lure a swarm out of a tree most of the time...


Nice to know  :th_thumbsupup:
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: Dallasbeek on August 02, 2014, 11:58:58 PM
Michael, that's the best stated of all. 

Gary
Title: Re: Lure for Bait Hive
Post by: jayj200 on August 04, 2014, 07:56:59 PM
old comb doubles the effectiveness of LGO