[Woofee]

Looking to make an attractant using Anise Essential oil (EO).

What is the best way or product to combine the oil and EO? Was looking at Polysorbate 20.

Had found an old Honey Bee attractant recipe using 1oz of Anise Oil, with 1/4 pint of Alcohol, which I use 91% Isopropyl, leave for a few days, then fill the remaining 3/4 pint with water. Seemed to work, but had a small separation at the bottom of the bottle.

Any suggestions or chemistry lessons appreciated.

 

[John Davis]

Considering how little you need to apply just leave out the water shake well with the alcohol.

 

[Roland]

Try Ethanol first. What oil are you trying to mix with the Anise?

Crazy Roland

 

[Woofee]

Try Ethanol first. What oil are you trying to mix with the Anise?

Crazy Roland

The Anise is an Essential Oil I have.

 

[JWPalmer]

I use anise extract found in the spice aisle of the local grocery store. It is anise oil, alcohol, and water, already mixed and ready to go. A few drops will do, just like the LGO.

 

[Cobbler]

I use anise extract found in the spice aisle of the local grocery store. It is anise oil, alcohol, and water, already mixed and ready to go. A few drops will do, just like the LGO.

What kind of bees are we attracting with anise oil? My understanding is that anise attracts foraging honeybees - as in bee lining.

Am I correct in assuming that anise is not being used to attract scout bees to a bait hive?

 

[Woofee]

What kind of bees are we attracting with anise oil? My understanding is that anise attracts foraging honeybees - as in bee lining.

Am I correct in assuming that anise is not being used to attract scout bees to a bait hive?

Correct, it is attracting foraging bees. Gives me an idea that there are bees in the area, and maybe a place to put a swarm trap.

 

[JWPalmer]

What kind of bees are we attracting with anise oil? My understanding is that anise attracts foraging honeybees - as in bee lining.

Am I correct in assuming that anise is not being used to attract scout bees to a bait hive?

Correct. No point in placing a swarm trap in a location that does not have foraging bees in it. A Boardman feeder with a mason jar of sugar syrup and a few drops of anise extract on top will tell you in a day's time if there are bees nearby. I have also used to it induce the bees to take syrup from a hive top feeder. Lets them know there is food overhead real quick.

 

[Roland]

I quote from post #1

What is the best way or product to combine the oil and EO?

OK, Anise is the Essential oil. What is the "oil"????

Crazy Roland

 

[Woofee]

I quote from post #1

What is the best way or product to combine the oil and EO?

OK, Anise is the Essential oil. What is the "oil"????

Crazy Roland

Sorry, should have said water and oil.

 

[rdimanin]

Looking to make an attractant using Anise Essential oil (EO).

What is the best way or product to combine the oil and EO? Was looking at Polysorbate 20.

Had found an old Honey Bee attractant recipe using 1oz of Anise Oil, with 1/4 pint of Alcohol, which I use 91% Isopropyl, leave for a few days, then fill the remaining 3/4 pint with water. Seemed to work, but had a small separation at the bottom of the bottle.

Any suggestions or chemistry lessons appreciated.

I would suggest soy lecithin, I use it for suspending oxalic acid with mineral oil for fogging hives. It's a powder & Amazon has it. Use 1 teaspoon for each quart. This should work.

 

[Roland]

Haaaaaa!!!! So you want to mix oil and water????? The post above is correct. Good luck with that. But why water? Use denatured alcohol as a carrier... The water is only going to evaporate anyway.

Crazy Roland

 

[AHudd]

Haaaaaa!!!! So you want to mix oil and water????? The post above is correct. Good luck with that. But why water? Use denatured alcohol as a carrier... The water is only going to evaporate anyway.

Crazy Roland

Doesn't "denatured" mean poison added to keep people from drinking it?

Alex

 

[JWPalmer]

I only alcohol I use around the bees is 190 proof Everclear which is almost pure ethanol. Not isopropyl, and not anything with methanol in it (the denatured part of denatured alcohol).

 

[Roland]

Yes, denatured means posined. Mr. Palner is right, everclear is better. That said, the denaturant evaporates with the alcohol..My guess is that you are "cutting" the essential oil so that it can be applied more uniformly to a larger area that would be possible if used straight.

Crazy Roland

 

[David ryle]

Looking to make an attractant using Anise Essential oil (EO).

What is the best way or product to combine the oil and EO? Was looking at Polysorbate 20.

Had found an old Honey Bee attractant recipe using 1oz of Anise Oil, with 1/4 pint of Alcohol, which I use 91% Isopropyl, leave for a few days, then fill the remaining 3/4 pint with water. Seemed to work, but had a small separation at the bottom of the bottle.

Any suggestions or chemistry lessons appreciated.

You might think about using lecithlin.

 

[AHudd]

Yes, denatured means posined. Mr. Palner is right, everclear is better. That said, the denaturant evaporates with the alcohol..My guess is that you are "cutting" the essential oil so that it can be applied more uniformly to a larger area that would be possible if used straight.

Crazy Roland

We used to use denatured alcohol to smooth down expansion joints. I became curious as to why it was called "denatured" and why it was different from ethanol alcohol. I didn't remember that the addition was methanol, only that it was poisonous.
I guess when the methanol evaporates all of the drinkable ethanol does too, preventing anyone without a lab or distillery from having a drink without paying the tax on it. So I guess somewhere along the line someone has to purchase a tax stamp or add poison.

Alex

 

[Roland]

yup, they call them "Revenuers" for a reason, Often wondered if Thymol was a legal denaturant, and therefore making your own thymolated alcohol would be legal.

Crazy Roland