take the word of one who knows

[bill]

this will be very short. Now I am a new beekeeper and don't know too much, But there is one thing I know as of this morning. It is very important not to test the efficacy of lemon grass oil without a bee suit on. I just found out. Now I have to put the suit on and go back and pick up all the stuff I threw down when I ran. I only got about three stings but if I hadn't outran them I would have got a lot more.  they just surged out of there huge numbers. At least I know I can still run pretty good at for my age (sixty eight). who says this is not an exciting hobby

[Horns Pure Honey]

check, no lemon grass :lol:

[Anonymous]

Eeek!   :lol:

[Michael Bush]

It's Nasonov pheromone to the bees.  Not alarm pheromone.  I think YOU gave off the alarm pheromone when the bees all responded to the "come here" pheromone. :)  Bees do respond to it.

[bill]

that is why I didn't have the suit on. but I was not prepared to the instant effect, and the huge numbers while I was running I was thinking, did I make a mistake and give them the alarm signal? I am quite pleased to know I can still run that fast.lol. but then some of that hive's bees like to come out and but heads with me when I drive by on the tractor now. since I am too lazy to walk. I use it for a four wheeler, when I am working the crops, and they have learned the sound of sit since I robbed so much of their frames when I was trying to make nucs. I will be glad when I have enough hives to only occasionally take a frame of brood.

[RandGraham]

Bill,
What exactly were you doing? Approaching the hive with an open bottle of the lemon grass oil? I am planning on buying some and adding a few drops to a waterer to attract bees. How close did you get until they were on to you?

Thanks,
Rand

[bill]

hey randy. I bought the lemon grass oil at anatural food store here and I was going to use it to help get the bees into a box when I get a swarm But this am I just wanted to see how they would react, so I put acouple of drops on a couple of cottn balls soaked in alcohol. I thought I would see if I could get some bees to go in a cage just for an experiment. well they didn't seem too interested so I got the zip loc bag and opened it up[ and let the odor waft into the entrance reaching around from the back of the hive. I kinda bent around to get a look when I did it and as soon as they smelled iit the surged into the air and all around me. At first I thought it is just calling them towards me but they started head butting and I got a couple of stings I guess I kinda lost it then and threw everything down and ran. when I went back it was a calm as anything. the stuff works

[Rich V]

Bill
I was thinking of giving lemon grass oil a try,but was skeptical if it worked.
Thanks for testing it for me.

[bill]

you are quite welcome rich I wonder if there is an oil that mimics alarm pheromone. that wound lend itself some wild experiments lol

[Michael Bush]

>you are quite welcome rich I wonder if there is an oil that mimics alarm pheromone. that wound lend itself some wild experiments lol


Buy some artificial banana flavoring.  I think that should do it.

[Miss Chick-a-BEE]

That is all TOOO funny! :) Thanks for the laugh.

Beth

[RandGraham]

Well,
I put about 10 drops into a bucket of water I am trying to get the bees to use. I've had this water in between my hives and my neighbor's hot tub since Sunday. I haven't seen any bees visit it yet. We'll see if the lemon grass oil does the trick.

-Rand (Just Rand like Rand McNally the roadmap publisher)