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)
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
Thanks sawdstmakr! :) I'll try that.
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...
Quote from: flyboy on July 26, 2014, 07:11:55 PM
Thanks sawdstmakr! :) I'll try that.
NP, good luck.
Jim
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.
>Heck, the lemongrass oil is so strong...
Yes, anything more than four drops is too much. A Q-tip worth is just right.
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
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.
Who can argue with success like that? You must have just about every bee in Searcy, AR!
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...
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:
Michael, that's the best stated of all.
Gary
old comb doubles the effectiveness of LGO