Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: SEEYA on March 13, 2012, 08:25:21 pm

Title: Swarm lure?
Post by: SEEYA on March 13, 2012, 08:25:21 pm

Swarm Lure?
Would there be any benefit to saving the empty queen cages, out of the bee packages?
In a ziplock bag, in the freezer? I don't think it could hurt, but would it be worth the effort?

Title: Re: Swarm lure?
Post by: AllenF on March 13, 2012, 08:34:22 pm

It may just be easier to save some lemongrass oil in a bottle.   

Title: Re: Swarm lure?
Post by: JP on March 13, 2012, 08:53:09 pm

It may work but as mentioned lemongrass oil or queen pheromone would likely be better choices. Queens in alcohol would work as well. I'm pretty sure M.B. has used them to attract swarms. I could probably attract a swarm with one of my hair clip queen catchers that have had many different queens but never tried it. Not sure if it would hold them but bees do go crazy over them things.


...JP

Title: Re: Swarm lure?
Post by: Michael Bush on March 14, 2012, 09:36:29 am

They seem awfully interested in the cages.  It wouldn't hurt a bit.

Title: Re: Swarm lure?
Post by: SEEYA on March 14, 2012, 01:09:33 pm

Thanks everyone!
It would be nice to get a little more use out of them. (pick-up, still a month off +/-)

ALTHOUGH:
I could save them and have them bronzed, for my induction into the BEEKEEPER HALL OF FAME! :-D
ONLY coffee today!  :-D

Title: Re: Swarm lure?
Post by: oregonbeeman on May 31, 2012, 03:25:52 am

Not a bad idea. I would throw them in along with some lemon grass oil. Can't hurt anything.
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