[Mitch]

MB you once wrote somewhere that i can not find now about putting old queens in alcohal and useing them as swarm lure.Could you please tell me again what you used,and how much you use in a swarm trap?

Thanks Bob

 

[Dave W]

SWARM LURE - Dr. Chip Taylor, U of Kansas, was one of the first to use pheromone lures to attract swarms to bait hives (used lemon grass mixed w/ beeswax, painted inside bait hive, smells like lemon-scented furniture polish or bees’ Nasanov pheromone) [ABJ, 4/04,p369].

Lure available w/ 20 lure minimum or tube of pheromone / Vaseline COST $5.00 plus shipping. Write: Dr. Taylor, Entomology Program, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., University of Kansas, Lawrence, KA 66045 [ABJ, 4/04,p370].

BeeCatcher Lure, by Steve Thoenes, Tucson, AZ, 520-770-1463, is a mix of pheromones put into a very thin layer of plastic. Once protective package is opened, the odor will emit very rapidly. COST: $5.00 [ABJ, 4/04,p370].

Homemade Lure:
• Recipe #1 - Place old queen you are replacing, into alcohol (1-2 oz, type?) let soak until alcohol turns brown (6-12 months). Keep adding old queens, extra virgin queens, supersedure queens. Use eyedropper to apply a few drops to bait hive. [Source?] Bees are attracted by the odor of crushed queens and cages in which queens have been held [Ref 17, p118].
• Recipe #2 - Use citrus oil extract, lemon oil extract, or extra virgin olive oil as an enticement. All of there scents attract bees and swarms. May mix two or more, i.e. extra olive oil w/ either citrus or lemon extracts.[Dee A. Lusby, beesource.com, Forum1,000113]
• Recipe #3 - Mix Citral, geraniol and nerolic acid 1:1:1 [Dee A. Lusby, beesource.com, Forum2,000583]

 

[PA Pete]

Here's a thread with a formula from Dee. I found it by searching Beekeeping 101 for "swarm lure alcohol" (without the quotes) and got 11 hits. Searching the Bee Forum yields 9 additional hits.

-Pete

 

[PA Pete]

You can use any kind of non-scented rubbing alcohol as the alcohol is volatile and just evaporates leaving the pheromone behind.

-Pete

 

[FordGuy]

you know, I caught a whiff of a scented fingernail polish and it reminded me of one of the smells I have taken in from a bee who "splashed" me with pheremone. I wonder if fingernail polish remover (unscented) would serve as a base since it dries quickly and would leave only the oil.

 

[Mitch]

Thanks guys
funny how that search works just the wrong combo of words.

Thing i might just do the alcohol deal and use it next season

 

[PA Pete]

Nail polish remover is mostly acetone, which I would think would also work fine, though it's a little "over the top" for my taste. I try not to use acetone unless it's really needed, as it's more dangerous/harmful/carcinogenic than alcohol.

You can buy 100% acetone nail polish remover at the local CVS for a few bucks. I do use it for cleaning and welding plastic in one of my other hobbies (repairing older electronics stuff)

-Pete

[ April 21, 2006, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: PA Pete ]

 

[Michael Bush]

Sounds like they covered it. I just have a jar with isopropyl alcohol in it. Whenever I dispose of a queen, I drop her in the alcohol. A few drops anywhere in the bait hive will work. A few drops of lemongrass oil in addition will work even better.

 

[Mitch]

Thanks MB i figure it is better to put the old girls to some use.Makes me feel little better anwy.

Now if i can just find the other little drone layer ill be all set.It seems i can see the queens most of the time till i need to find one imagin that.

 

[artic]

Any chance using culled queen cells w/ queen brood would have the same effect?

 

[Michael Bush]

>Any chance using culled queen cells w/ queen brood would have the same effect?

I don't know.

 

[Mitch]

How much lemongrass oil do you use and where are you getting it or will any kind work.

 

[Michael Bush]

Any kind of what? Any kind of Lemongrass essential oil will do. I bought mine online, but you can find it most places that sell essential oils. I use two or three drops anywhere on the wood inside the bait box.

 

[odfrank]

I've been splashing about ten drops total of lemongrass oil on the combs, frames and entry of bait hives. Great success. Eight last year, already four this year and a month to go.

 

[Dave W]

Michael Bush . . .

How often does the application of lemongrass oil need to be "renewed"?

 

[Mitch]

Dave this is what i wanted to know too how longt it lasts.

Oliver
How many traps do you put out to catch 8 swarms? 4 this season allready that is great.

Swam season here is not quite started yet.This spring bloom is just now in full swing.But i do need to have some swarm traps out in the next few weeks.About mid may swarm season is underway here.

 

[Michael Bush]

I can still smell it six weeks or so later and the bees seem to have a better sense of smell than me. I'm guessing there is some smell left, well, forever, but I'm sure it has a half life. So the point of noticable loss of effectivness, I would guess, would be a couple of months. I usually only get around to putting it in once a year, but prime swarm season is only a about six weeks or so.

 

[odfrank]

I am putting out about 16 this year. I use deep frame nucs, and old medium honey supers with rejected combs. Caught one more today, and a swarm from my hives.

 

[Mitch]

My plan is putting out 4 or 5 traps and see what happens.All will be within 3 miles of my hives.I have samll black fearl bees working blooms in my yard all the time.BerkeyDave and i plan on trying some queen grafting.So the Fearl bees is what we want to try.I am goign to use the boughten swarm lure this year with mabe a few extra drops of lemengrass oil.I know the fearl bees are there just not alot of time to go find them.Being i see them all the time i think they are close by.