Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: bayareaartist on May 17, 2005, 10:48:53 pm

Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: bayareaartist on May 17, 2005, 10:48:53 pm
hi all,
I was wondering about home made swaqrm lures and how to make them and  what to use.

thank you,
Donn
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: buzz on May 18, 2005, 01:15:43 am
I've heard that lemongrass essential oil works good.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Miss Chick-a-BEE on May 18, 2005, 08:17:49 am
The only homemade swarm lure I remember reading about, was to use some brood and wax from a hive. (This isn't totally pleasant.) But what I read said to smash it up, put it in a panty hose, and then place it in a box were the bees can get to.

Beth
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Finsky on May 18, 2005, 08:46:14 am
After my 40 years beekeeping I do not know nothing lure to atract swarm. It can go where ever.

The best lure is empty hive, but it does not work in the place where is already  hives.

It is better to concentrate to study how to prevent  swarming. Swarming is good not at all. http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/Swarm_Prev_Control_PM.pdf

Or if you are going to catch swarms, it is another project.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Horns Pure Honey on May 18, 2005, 09:19:26 am
Finsky I disagree. I just met a new friend last week with 33 hives and so fare he has cuaght 6 swarms that are not from his hives, in the trees hanging over his hives. It seams like his bees are attrackting others.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 18, 2005, 10:54:44 am
You can buy swarm lure from Mann Lake, Brushy Mt etc.

But Lemongrass essential oil works just as well and is cheaper.  Both will work better than just old comb, but old comb will help.  Lemongrass essential oil smells like Nasonov pheromone.  Just use a few drops (three or four) in the bait hive.

You can also drop your old queens in a jar of alcohol and use the alcohol for swarm lure.  The alcohol has the QMP (queen madibular pheromone) in it.  Just use a few drops in the bait hive.  Works well in combination with the Lemongrass oil.

Of course, bait hives are like fishing.  It's a gamble.  If you find a good location I would put more there.  If you aren't getting any swarms by the end of the swarm season, I'd move them to another location next year.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Finsky on May 18, 2005, 12:17:56 pm
Quote from: Michael Bush

But Lemongrass essential oil works just as well and is cheaper.  Both will work better than just old comb, but old comb will help.


Okay! I must use that. My bees tend to go to upper branches of 15 m long pines. Difficult to go there with my 210 pound weight  :P

(http://personal.inet.fi/yhdistys/raisionjoki/kerttulanluontopolku/manty2.jpg)
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Michael Bush on May 19, 2005, 01:40:47 pm
You can also pick a nice low hanging limb and put some lemongrass oil there and it may encorage them to swarm to a nicer spot.  :)
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Finsky on May 20, 2005, 07:42:55 am
Quote from: Michael Bush
You can also pick a nice low hanging limb and put some lemongrass oil there and it may encorage them to swarm to a nicer spot.  :)


Thanks. I have never heard about that. I get that medicin!
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: ROOKIE on August 14, 2005, 09:17:53 am
I would like to make up my own Lures for next year, The recipe (Schmidt and Thoenes 1992) that I have is- equal parts   of Geraniol, Citral, and Nerolic Acid plus Geranic acids.  The Geraniol seems to be readily available but I cant track down the others, Can anyone help? Also  a supplier of the Plastic Vials.   I would appreciate any help.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Michael Bush on August 14, 2005, 11:38:03 pm
>The recipe (Schmidt and Thoenes 1992) that I have is- equal parts of Geraniol, Citral, and Nerolic Acid plus Geranic acids. The Geraniol seems to be readily available but I cant track down the others

http://dyeschemical.com/dyesintermediats.htm

http://www.iff.com/Ingredients.nsf/0/59A9C543239FCF9285256B8F0075E74C

http://www.millenniumchem.com/Products+and+Services/Products+by+Type/Aroma+Chemicals/p_GERANIOL+80/GERANIOL+80_EN.htm


Here's Nasonov:
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/bkCD/HBBiology/bee_behavior.htm

The Lemongrass oil works just as well and is much easier to find.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: ROOKIE on August 15, 2005, 03:31:14 pm
That's great,  Thanks Michael.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Finsky on August 15, 2005, 04:23:28 pm
I got lure from Russian.

I got one swarm, but I did not noticed if it worked.

Queen's wing was clipped and most bees tuned to hive. I catched  queen in front of hive.

I put in old place 2 deeps with foundations, a larva frame and queen. So it started new life. When yield started I put another weak hive to support that hive. It worked nicely. It got 2 deeps full of pollen and lot of honey.
Title: Lemongrass essential oil
Post by: Yarra_Valley on November 28, 2005, 05:02:27 pm
Glad I found this post. Its been something I've wanted to know for a while.

In Australia, it will probably be marketed with a slightly different name. Also, I'm not sure what type of product it is.

Is it a:

Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Michael Bush on November 28, 2005, 09:12:38 pm
Lemongrass essential oil is usually available from health food stores but sometimes a perfumery will have it and you can find it online.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: manowar422 on November 29, 2005, 11:44:41 am
Does the scent of the lemongrass oil resemble lemons :?:
I recently purchased some off eBay as swarm lure, but
I don't know how to tell if it's genuine Lemongrass Oil.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Michael Bush on November 29, 2005, 09:42:08 pm
>Does the scent of the lemongrass oil resemble lemons

Resemble?  Yes.  But it's identical to Lemon Pledge.
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: manowar422 on December 01, 2005, 12:49:54 pm
Quote
it's identical to Lemon Pledge


Thanks Michael, that comparison makes me 99%
sure the stuff I bought is the genuine article :)
The oil must be pretty pure cause it's aroma
is strong. :shock:
Title: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Yarra_Valley on December 02, 2005, 02:17:01 pm
Thanks for all the response. I've had a look online and I can get it in Australia from about 5 or so different places easily. Some places label it as Lemongrass cochin essential oil. I'm assuming its all the same thing for out purposes. Newdirections.com.au seems to be the cheapest for it and has the widest range, but they all seem to be quite cheap.

Cheers,
James
Title: Re: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Cindi on March 08, 2008, 10:18:51 am
I would like to make up my own Lures for next year, The recipe (Schmidt and Thoenes 1992) that I have is- equal parts   of Geraniol, Citral, and Nerolic Acid plus Geranic acids.  The Geraniol seems to be readily available but I cant track down the others, Can anyone help? Also  a supplier of the Plastic Vials.   I would appreciate any help.

Rookie, it would be interesting if you told us how you made out with this creation of lures, I know I would be interested, tell us the story.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, love life.  Cindi
Title: Re: home made swarm lure? what to use?
Post by: Ben Framed on March 17, 2023, 05:10:36 pm
Finsky
<< Reply #12>>
"I got lure from Russian.
I got one swarm, but I did not noticed if it worked.

Queen's wing was clipped and most bees tuned to hive. I catched  queen in front of hive.

I put in old place 2 deeps with foundations, a larva frame and queen. So it started new life. When yield started I put another weak hive to support that hive. It worked nicely. It got 2 deeps full of pollen and lot of honey."