Bait hives set

[jimbeekeeper]

Fingers crossed, there always hope.

But they will never be my swarms

 

[Polyanwood]

I've set one too. On my track record I am not quite as confident as you.

 

[Bugfan]

Hi

Do you guys put your bait hives close to where you know your neighbours have bees, in the hope of catching one of their swarms?

Or are the bait hives placed close to your own in the hope that if you lose a swarm you might catch it again?

Or are they placed randomly in the hope that you get lucky?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I have set 4 in my garden, and as stated above they will NOT be my swarms (LOL)

There is a big old oak just down the road that always has bees in, and I have had a swarm from there before.

Now before anyone asks, I doubt very much that it is the same colony of bees in this tree year after year i.e they are resistant to varroa, more likely is it is just a nice place for bees to go.

I think also the smell of the honey in the hives attacks other bees into the area, and hopefully into the bait hives.

As far as I am aware they are no other bee keepers within 3 miles of me.

 

[Bugfan]

hehe, you've talked me into it, I'll give it a go.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

you have nothing to loose!

Best to add a couple of frames of old comb, and also try spalshing a few drops of lemon grass essiential oil on the hive entrace

 

[Eyeman]

I've managed to get 10 colleagues at work to site one of my 'bait hives' in each of their gardens. Reward is a jar of honey if successful. Choice of home was based on location, location, location. Surprising how willing peolpe are to have a hive in their garden.
This is my first attempt at bait hives- all have one old brood comb and a few drops of lemon grass oil.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Eyeman that is a realy good idea.

I am thinking about asking at work, we have several acres of rough "wild life" land, and I know in the past they had swarms there.

But I hait to do the risk assesment or permit to work!

 

[planbee]

Lemon grass oil?

I read about this on a US website the other week, where do you get the stuff from?

John [sameagle]

 

[hedgerow pete]

if you want i can set a couple of risk and permit guides up for you i do them all day long at work some days

 

[hedgerow pete]

i buy leamon grass oil from the local market there is a guy there who sell any form of essencial oils and joss sticks and that sort of stuff but leamon grass is pretty common

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Its OK Pete, I also do them day in day out on a top tier COMAH site. I think a fart somtimes might count as hot work!

Sameagle, I got my lemongrass oil from holland and barret health food shop, but any other hippy greeny health food type place should have it. A couple of pound for a small dropping bottle of it.

 

[grizzly]

i put a handful of bait hives out today, the drive to York was a bit of a trek, but i found a cracking spot.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Yes you stand a good chance around that area, there is one keeper that is always lossing swarms

 

[planbee]

Got Lemon grass oil!

Got some today - there is a health type shop in the town here, it's called "Herbies", I think.

Slopped drops of the stuff on the frames and on the entrance block, keeping a furtive lookout, just in case a gang of Bee's arrived to mug me - well, you never know, it's supposed to be good stuff, according to what I read up on the Internet last night, after I heard about it on here!

We'll see.....

Reminds me of when I kept Bee's before, a few years ago.

I had a couple of WBC's, with Bee's, about one and a half miles away, and I'd been given a National, empty.

Strictly speaking, I'd been given several bit's of National, from two different sources, and I'd been cleaning them and standing them outside the shed, in no particular order, except that there was a floor at the bottom, and then several supers, a couple of brood boxes, and a roof.

They were not even stacked "properly", they were a bit staggered - but the Bee's found them!

I came home to find my neighbour almost jumping up and down with excitement, she said, "There's been a massive flight of Bee's, all streaking straight into those bits of hive near your shed - there were thousands of them - you're ever so clever!"

I thought "No I'm not - I'm just b----y lucky, but don't let on!"

So I know that "The system" works, just thought that it only worked with the smell of wax, pollen, and honey.

John [sameagle]

 

[BKF Admin]

Thats a great story John,I enjoyed reading that.

I can just picture the swarm flying in then changing direction straight into the hive,must of been a very impressive sight.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Are you guys using full hives as bait hives....or is it possible to use nuc boxes??

Thanks in advance!

 

[BKF Admin]

Nuc boxes,travel boxes cardboard boxes anything will do if its got a bit of old comb and maybe some lemongrass in it,you may even get away with a frame of foundation.

I use travel boxes £30 each from Thornes(I purchased them to collect swarms in I am telephoned about as they are safe in the car with the kids) but very easy to make,plus I use any empty hives and Nuc boxes I have around.

 

[jon]

My brother had an old hive in a garden shed with a broken window and he got a swarm in it.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Thanks for that - I bought my (only!) National hive in early June last year and was too late to get hold of a swarm, so I obtained some old brood frame and stuck it out hoping for a passing swarm....alas, nothing transpired.

However, I'll give it a go again this year with a nuc box and some lemongrass oil!