[stemag]

hi all i have just finished building a second tbh my first hive was set up this year with 5 bars now 15 so just under half way the bees seem quite happy there are no queen cells and the queen is busy doing her thing and not many drones my question is
if i put some lemon grass to try and attract a swarm in my new empty hive(even though it may be a bit late in the season but you never no ) would it make my bees wont to move in there and disrupte the hive they are in now
my theory is that it wouldnt because they are content where they are but as that theory is from a new bee keeper i thought it best to ask
the hive is about 4 foot away from my first hive

 

[jwcarlson]

hi all i have just finished building a second tbh my first hive was set up this year with 5 bars now 15 so just under half way the bees seem quite happy there are no queen cells and the queen is busy doing her thing and not many drones my question is
if i put some lemon grass to try and attract a swarm in my new empty hive(even though it may be a bit late in the season but you never no ) would it make my bees wont to move in there and disrupte the hive they are in now
my theory is that it wouldnt because they are content where they are but as that theory is from a new bee keeper i thought it best to ask
the hive is about 4 foot away from my first hive

You're not going to induce a swarm or cause your colony to pick up shop and move four feet.

You'll be find if you bait it! I've been rubbing a little bit of swarm lure in my fresh TBHs and Langs just before I move colonies into them. Help it smell a little bit more appealing.

 

[AugustC]

No. Once they are settled they are settled. Always worth setting a spare hive up to bait swarms if only because it might be one of yours. Rub around the inside with beeswax, ensure if it has a screened bottom it is covered and reduce the entrance number/sizes to make it easily defensible. Don't over do the lemon grass oil. Good luck!

augustcottageapiary.wordpress.com

 

[stemag]

thanks for the answers