making bait hive more interesting! help please

[Steve Dyer]

would this work with a virgin as well?

Banned by the Witchcraft Act of 1532...

Why would a swarming queen search out the pheremones of a previous queen - even if such a complex chemical lasted that long?

If you kill a queen in a hive they cotton on pretty quickly, so pheremones don't last very long.

Also if queens sought out other queen's smell then surely simultaneous swarms would cluster together, and they don't, they usually are independent.

Steve

 

[nelletap]

Love it, thedeaddiplomat:
"Have you thought of a pitcher of iced G&T and a tray containing a pyramid of those foil-wrapped nutty chocolates? It may not always work for the bees - but I'll be round straight away!"
Needed a wee smile to-day.
Tricia

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

 

[newportbuzz]

Banned by the Witchcraft Act of 1532...

Why would a swarming queen search out the pheremones of a previous queen - even if such a complex chemical lasted that long?

If you kill a queen in a hive they cotton on pretty quickly, so pheremones don't last very long.

Also if queens sought out other queen's smell then surely simultaneous swarms would cluster together, and they don't, they usually are independent.

Steve

very good point i hadn't considered it. possibly the smell they are attracted to is only a small part of the queens smell and this part could be long lasting?

the other point to consider is does the queen have any choice in the landing spot or new hive, surly those choices are taken by the older foragers in which case the attraction to queen pheremone would be a natural one.

 

[Teemore]

You should realise that it is not the queen that seeks out a new place to live - it is the scout bees and they will tend to look for somewhere that bees have lived in before - thats why people use old comb in bait hives and why a residue of queen pheromone or lemongrass oil helps attract swarms. The scout bees bring in the swarm and then the colony collectively decides whether it wants to stay put or not.

 

[For want of a better word]

besides lemongrass there is VIMTO and I have even heard of chocolate ( dark not milk) being attractive to bees... or is that virgin on the ridiculous?

 

[victor meldrew]

Can you provide a link to a supplier?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7202038.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=tsid:11527|cc:|prd:7202038|cat:home+and+furniture+%2F+storage+and+shelving+%2F+storage+chests+and+trunks+%2F

VM

 

[newportbuzz]

You should realise that it is not the queen that seeks out a new place to live - it is the scout bees and they will tend to look for somewhere that bees have lived in before - thats why people use old comb in bait hives and why a residue of queen pheromone or lemongrass oil helps attract swarms. The scout bees bring in the swarm and then the colony collectively decides whether it wants to stay put or not.

this is true at least for the new home from what i have read and seen, but what about the first staging post surly the queen has some say on that either by moving it by not getting to the swarm or by being one of the first to land and form the swarm.

it also begs the question of why when dealing with a swarm if you are able to catch the queen and place her in you new hive that most times she will not leave and the swarm will not only go to her but also more often than not stay in the new hive.
surly there is some part played by the queen pheremones in this curcumstance other than just calling the bees to her?

 

[m100]

Thanks, looks useful for keeping assorted (beekeeping) junk out of the rain