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Author Topic: Lemongrass oil  (Read 6731 times)

Offline AdmiralD

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Lemongrass oil
« on: April 08, 2006, 12:51:55 pm »
Ok, you wise beekeepers...

I lost my bees last year, and being the cheapskate beekeeper that I am, I am attempting to lure some bees into my current bee-less hives.

Being a frequent reader, I hear that lemongrass oil is a scent that attracts bees. Having bought a vial of the oil, I would like to know this little detail....


How do you use it to attract them? Do I put the whole vial [1 oz] into the hive? Do I delute it? If so, how much and with what do I delute it with? Alcohol?  other oils? WATER????   How do you use it????

manowar422

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Lemongrass oil
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2006, 01:22:01 pm »
Assuming the vial has a dropper cap, place two small drops inside
the hive body and that should do the trick. The oil is VERY strong
even to us humans with our very poor sense of smell, I can only
imagine how strong it would be to an animal or insect :shock:

Hope ya catch some :wink:

Offline Andrew Tyzack

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Lemongrass oil
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2006, 06:33:28 pm »
I caught a swarm last year...well I didn't do anything, they just suddenly arrived in the garden one sunny afternoon. It was like a helicopter landing, and I was glad that the neighbours weren't outside!

I was then very surprised to see them go into an old hive that I had just been given. Which was half rotten and full of dirty old combs, propolis, wax moths, earwigs, cobwebs and heaps of dirt. And it had a leaky roof. I was subsequently told that bees seem to be go for these conditions??? I didn't let them stay long enough to become established so maybe they would have cleaned it up?

Andrew

Offline Michael Bush

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Lemongrass oil
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2006, 09:31:06 pm »
>I lost my bees last year, and being the cheapskate beekeeper that I am, I am attempting to lure some bees into my current bee-less hives.

Nothing wrong with trying, but it is like fishing.  You may not get one.  If you want to be sure and get bees, buy some.

>Being a frequent reader, I hear that lemongrass oil is a scent that attracts bees.

It makes excellent swarm lure.

> Having bought a vial of the oil, I would like to know this little detail....

Define "vial"?  Like the little plastic ones sold a swarm lure?  Like a glass jar with a dropper from an essential oil place?

>How do you use it to attract them?

I put a few drops on the top bar of the middle frame.  Like three or four drops.

> Do I put the whole vial [1 oz] into the hive?

No.

> Do I delute it?

No.
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Offline AdmiralD

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Lemongrass oil
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2006, 10:16:58 pm »
Quote
Define "vial"? Like the little plastic ones sold a swarm lure? Like a glass jar with a dropper from an essential oil place?


A small glass jar, in this case, without a dropper. Obtained from a Aromatherapy business. There is approximately  one oz of fluid/oil in the vial.  

 Paid $2.50 for it...I have seen some for $5.00 in health food stores...
The last health food store told me that they would have to buy some and it would cost $20.00 for an oz of that stuff... I told them I would find it somewhere else...

Offline bill

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Lemongrass oil
« Reply #5 on: April 09, 2006, 03:21:16 pm »
I was trying to get aquanted with how to use it last year when I was trying to get some swarms to behave  lol... After some experimentation I learned not to carry the bottle in my pocket !,  don't put the bottle anywhere you don't want bees. I ended up doing it by putting the bottle closed in  the hive where I wanted bees and leave it there and retrieve it later. but never, repeat never. drip it on cotton in a plastic bag and wave it around near the entrance to see if it works.....LOL.......
billiet

 

anything