New hive - lemongrass?

Started by meashton, April 24, 2013, 04:21:23 PM

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meashton

April 24, 2013, 04:21:23 PM
I have two brand-new hives and two packages of Italians I just picked up yesterday. The weather's a bit chilly here in N. Colorado, so waiting until tomorrow to hive them.

I've read that packages can abscond from a new hive and am wondering if I should put a little lemongrass oil inside the hives before I put the bees in?

Thanks!

-Margaret

Jim134

#1
April 24, 2013, 05:25:52 PM
Quote from: meashton on April 24, 2013, 04:21:23 PM
I have two brand-new hives and two packages of Italians I just picked up yesterday. The weather's a bit chilly here in N. Colorado, so waiting until tomorrow to hive them.

I've read that packages can abscond from a new hive and am wondering if I should put a little lemongrass oil inside the hives before I put the bees in?

Thanks!

-Margaret

  If you use lemongrass oil all you need is a drop or 2 in my experience if you over do did the bees will abscond.



                  BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :) 
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
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"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

meashton

#2
April 24, 2013, 10:10:48 PM
Hmmm... Maybe should leave well enough alone, then. Thx for the reply.

tefer2

#3
April 24, 2013, 10:38:58 PM
I like them to be smelling the queen I've got locked up in the cage.
Lemongrass oil is to attract bees, not make them stay.  :idunno:

2Sox

#4
April 25, 2013, 09:10:55 AM
I only use lemongrass oil for newly hived swarms.  Works well.  I agree that it's best to let them get accustomed to the queen in the cage.
"Good will is the desire to have something else stronger and more beautiful for this desire makes oneself stronger and more beautiful." - Eli Siegel, American educator, poet, founder of Aesthetic Realism

Michael Bush

#5
April 25, 2013, 11:50:02 AM
I would say the maximum is four drops.  One or two is fine.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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mikecva

#6
April 25, 2013, 12:44:38 PM
Welcome to beekeeping.   :cheer:

Feed, feed, feed.  The bees will get accustomed to their queen during the feeding. If the workers stop biting on the queen cage you can put a small hole in the sugar plug so the queen can eat her way out. Bees usually do not abscond during this period if you feed them 1:1 sugar water and a pollen patty. You will be feeding for about 4-5 weeks. (never feed when you put honey supers on or your honey might be well above 20% water.)  -Mike
 
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Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
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Please remember to read labels.

meashton

#7
April 25, 2013, 04:03:48 PM
Thanks, good advice. Hiving them today! Sugar water is at the ready. :)

I don't have any pollen patties. I guess I should have ordered some?  Is that something you get from Mann Lake or Dadant?

-Margaret

mikecva

#8
April 25, 2013, 04:15:46 PM
Yes both have then. I put half a patty on for the first 3 weeks then a whold patty until I stop feeding.  -Mike
.
Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
.
Please remember to read labels.

Finski

#9
April 25, 2013, 06:11:12 PM
Quote from: meashton on April 25, 2013, 04:03:48 PM
Thanks, good advice. Hiving them today! Sugar water is at the ready. :)

I don't have any pollen patties. I guess I should have ordered some?  Is that something you get from Mann Lake or Dadant?

-Margaret

don't you have flowers in Colorado?

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Language barrier NOT included

hardwood

#10
April 25, 2013, 09:13:37 PM
Pay very close attention to them if you use pollen patties. I don't know how your area is with SHB but I haven't used pollen patties in years due to them. As Finski suggests, if there are flowers blooming around you you don't need them anyway.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Dave360

#11
April 25, 2013, 10:36:55 PM

don't you have flowers in Colorado?

LOL

meashton

#12
April 25, 2013, 10:48:36 PM
LOL - the last of the snow is just melting, but there are a few bulb plants that survived that. Hopefully they'll be okay.

Both packages are hived!
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