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Author Topic: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps  (Read 7091 times)

Offline Simon

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Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« on: January 17, 2013, 06:13:03 am »
I have read a fair few posts where there has been success using lemongrass oil as the bait in a bait hive/swarm trap.  What I haven't found, but it may be her somewhere, is whether anyone has tried using lemongrass paste instead of lemongrass oil?  I bought a tube of the paste from the supermarket the other day just to see if any bees were interested in the smell (couldn't find any "cheap" lemongrass oil).  It's probably a bit late here to catch any swarms, although I witnessed a good one crossing the main street last week and that's what started me thinking about making a few traps.  I was motivated to the point of getting some of my old supers etc out of storage where they have been for way too long and I only had time to unstack about 2 boxes before a scout (or maybe a robber) turned up at the back of the shed to supervise me!

The paste does not have a really strong lemon smell so it may be too weak to be effective.  If this has already been covered, maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

Offline danno

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2013, 09:10:00 am »
a 1 oz bottle of oil really goes a long way.  I put out 20 - 25 traps a year and a bottle will last for 2

Offline tefer2

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2013, 09:24:48 am »
a 1 oz bottle of oil really goes a long way.  I put out 20 - 25 traps a year and a bottle will last for 2

YEAR'S   :-D

Offline bailey

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2013, 09:40:24 am »
I just bought a 16 oz bottle.  I expect it will last for many years!
Bailey
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Offline danno

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2013, 09:59:53 am »
a 1 oz bottle of oil really goes a long way.  I put out 20 - 25 traps a year and a bottle will last for 2

YEAR'S   :-D
thanks Terry   2 years not 2 traps

Offline bud1

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2013, 10:25:43 am »
i use a small pill bottle with small hole driled in bottom with cotton ball or roled paper towel in it with 4-5 drops oil  will despence slowly and last all season
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Offline tefer2

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2013, 10:25:57 am »
A little goes a long way. I get mine here, https://www.lorannoils.com/
You can put so much in your traps that it drives them away also.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2013, 11:58:23 am »
Lemongrass works just as well as lemongrass oil, it just doesn't last as long.
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Offline tefer2

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2013, 12:39:25 pm »
 :th_thumbsupup: on the pill bottle Bud!

Offline danno

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2013, 12:57:25 pm »
MB
Are you saying lemon grass plant?   My wife has a huge plant she started a few years back.  Its out of control

Offline T Beek

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2013, 02:02:18 pm »
I still have a couple little bottles of lemongrass oil around here and did have some success on the few occasions we used it, but for attracting swarms nothing works like some good old (or new) empty brood comb placed inside the box IMO.  I used a lemongrass paste several years ago and since I don't remember the results it must not have impressed me  :-\.
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Offline danno

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2013, 02:26:29 pm »
I also use old brood frames.  Usually 3 in the center of a 5 frame nuc with a shot of lemongrass oil.  My catch rate has to over 90%

Offline bud1

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2013, 06:49:37 pm »
tefer     in
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Offline Simon

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2013, 07:10:29 pm »
I read somewhere that in countries where lemongrass grows wild, it is often used to bait swarm traps by rubbing it (probably crushed a bit) around the trap.  That's why I thought that the supermarket variety of minced up lemongrass in a tube might work too.  Looking at the ingredients on the tube, there's a heap of other stuff in there with the 40% of lemongrass.  The rest is dextrose, citric acid, canola, oil thickeners, preservatives ....  I'm going to get some pure lemongrass oil from a shop that is a bit further afield as the only oil I found locally was the incense burner type for $10 for 10ml - which would probably work OK inspite of the other additives, but I'm pretty stingy (the pure stuff is $16/100ml delivered) and I don't care for the additives.  Ha, ha, 100ml should last for 20 years!.  I think that the lemongrass paste I have will probably look pretty good in a curry :-D

Offline Nature Coast Beek

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2013, 10:30:48 am »
A little goes a long way. I get mine here, https://www.lorannoils.com/

If you order from LorAnn, be sure to ask them about the beekeeper discount. :-D 

Offline little john

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2013, 11:18:36 am »
A little goes a long way. I get mine here, https://www.lorannoils.com/
You can put so much in your traps that it drives them away also.

Just wanted to echo this - the essential oil is thousands if not millions of times stronger than the bees respond to - I find that even one single drop inside a box is over-powering, and I've got a typical poor human sense of smell. I'd have thought that a tissue soaked in a couple of drops inside a plastic bag with one or two pin-holes is all you need.

My traps had plenty of interest last year, but no takers. Just as well, as I ran out of boxes anyway.

Re: lemongrass 'grass' - I think it's the bulbous root you need to rub over the bait box - not 100% sure though.

LJ

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Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2013, 01:38:23 pm »
I bought a one-half ounce of lemon oil a local health food store last summer for five bucks.  I'll admit that seems a bit expensive, but if you are using one or two drops per bait hive it is real inexpensive and very convenient.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #17 on: January 22, 2013, 05:13:06 pm »
>Are you saying lemon grass plant?

Yes.
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Offline jpmeir

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2013, 07:15:11 am »
"I use a small pill bottle with small hole driled in bottom with cotton ball or roled paper towel in it with 4-5 drops oil  will despence slowly and last all season"

That is a great idea for bait.
thanks

Offline rwurster

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Re: Lemongrass bait for swarm traps
« Reply #19 on: February 24, 2013, 05:21:59 pm »
A 1 oz bottle has lasted me 2 seasons times 20+ traps and the bottle is still about a quarter full.  A couple drops on the top bar of some brood comb from a dead out works really well for me.
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