Lemongrass, does it trigger hives into swarm mode?

[Cul a cnoic]

Hi,
Talking to a beek last week and he is of the opinion that lemongrass will trigger hives in the area into swarm mode. I used it last year and caught a few swarms but none were from my hives.

I thought it an interesting statement but I am of the belief that it attracts rather than pulls swarms.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[einsteinagogo]

Maybe that's why my hives have gone off and swarmed! I'm still puzzled by a nuc (hived into a national) which swarmed today, and there is a bait hive, on the 1 arce site! Witnesses stated there was lots of activity at the bait hive, and then they settled in a hedge, and then disappeared before I got there, and it had rained heavy!

 

[Cul a cnoic]

Thanks for the reply Andy, there may be something in what I was told.

 

[oliver90owner]

there may be something in what I was told.

Try putting loads out in the middle of winter and see if it works; you might come to the conclusion that time if year might beca factor. Try getting a tiny colony to leave their spacious home; you might come to the conclusion that mostly large colonies or those tight for space are more likely to swarm. Etc etc.

So I doubt it very much. But believe it if you must.

 

[MartinL]

there may be something in what I was told.
. . . . . mostly large colonies or those tight for space are more likely to swarm. Etc etc.

So I doubt it very much. But believe it if you must.

Sounds like B0!!0cks to me too.

Someone trying to blame others for their own mismanagement.

 

[Teemore]

Lemongrass is generally considered to be a swarm "Attractant", not a "trigger".

 

[einsteinagogo]

followup from this, the swarm maybe did not come out of my hives!

but another swarm, turned up today within 10m of the apairy, but nowhere near the bait hives!

 

[MartinL]

followup from this, the swarm maybe did not come out of my hives!

but another swarm, turned up today within 10m of the apairy, but nowhere near the bait hives!

Hives/Apiaries in themselves can attract swarms.

Maybe try moving you bait hives closer to the position they first clustered??