[shannonswyatt]

I got a swarm call at a railroad yard today. The guys said they get at least one a year and sometimes more, always in the same place. I know that this is common, but one of the guys said that the honey bees were attracted to Acetylene. I had never heard that before. The location was next to the Acetylene storage tanks. Has anyone else heard of that?

 

[Clif Schlicher]

According to what I read today from a propane site, flies and bees are attracted to propane. Any propane around there. Propane is often used as a cutting gas in steel work.

 

[shannonswyatt]

Probably. There are several lockers with gas in them. I wouldn't be surprised if there is propane. I left a swarm trap behind.

 

[Clif Schlicher]

Probably. There are several lockers with gas in them. I wouldn't be surprised if there is propane. I left a swarm trap behind.

You may also recommend that they check for leaks.

 

[shannonswyatt]

It was Norfolk Southern, I think the safety officer to employee ratio is probably 1 to 1.

They cordoned off an area about 70 feet around the swarm!

 

[Brad Bee]

I don't know about the acetylene deal...

We go through several bottles of it at the shop each week, and I've never seen a bee in or at the shop.

 

[Russ]

Just a thought, but Propane in it's original state has NO Odor. When it is sold to the Public it is Law that Ethel Mercapatan (Sp) is added to it as an odor-ant so it has a smell in case of a leak. Maybe this is what the Bee's are going for. Just my $.02 Worth.