Lure for Bait Hive

[flyboy]

Any suggestions on lure for a bait hive?

I just built 7 from plans from Bushkill.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/downloads/beekeeping/BushkillSwarmTrap.pdf

[BeeMaster2]

Any suggestions on lure for a bait hive?

I just built 7 from plans from Bushkill.
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

[flyboy]

Thanks sawdstmakr!  :) I'll try that.

[Michael Bush]

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...

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks sawdstmakr!  :) I'll try that.

NP, good luck.
Jim

[Chick]

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.

[Michael Bush]

>Heck, the lemongrass oil is so strong...

Yes, anything more than four drops is too much.  A Q-tip worth is just right.

[Dallasbeek]

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

[capt44]

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.

[Dallasbeek]

Who can argue with success like that?  You must have just about every bee in Searcy, AR!

[Michael Bush]

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...

[sc-bee]

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:

[Dallasbeek]

Michael, that's the best stated of all. 

Gary

[jayj200]

old comb doubles the effectiveness of LGO