Scout Bees

[Do224]

Yes all good for the season. Make sure vial is secure I use a pin with a bit of cotton. Scout bees have a tendency to Chuck junk and vials out.

Ok, thanks.....supplement with lemongrass oil every now and then or not?

 

[Brewer24]

First swarm pulled in this weekend. Easiest capture yet as they were hanging under a garden table and dropped into a polynuke in one good thump. Appear to be happy. Interesting thing is I live 10 miles outside of town with pretty cold mornings and no sign of swarming in my hives. Yet this swarm was found in the middle of a housing estate in town so obviously a lot warmer in town and ahead of my girls?

 

[Ian123]

Ok, thanks.....supplement with lemongrass oil every now and then or not?

I normally use 1 or the other vials I’ve left in from previous years and topped up then with lemon grass.

 

[Finman]

That's her job. She goes looking

It might be a robber too. It must scout too.

 

[user 20297]

That's her job. She goes looking

.....maybe should really be called a "Guide" bee.

 

[E&MBees]

.....maybe should really be called a "Guide" bee.

That’s what my teenage daughter said!

 

[rook66]

That's her job. She goes looking

I set up a hive at a favourite alighting spot (ley line?) at the weekend and it was being checked out within minutes, it is a brood chamber of 11 old combs with the remnants of osr honey. It has a 3/4 hole in the centre of the front wall which seem to get all the attention of the scouts as opposed to the landing board and entrance.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I set up a hive at a favourite alighting spot (ley line?) at the weekend and it was being checked out within minutes, it is a brood chamber of 11 old combs with the remnants of osr honey. It has a 3/4 hole in the centre of the front wall which seem to get all the attention of the scouts as opposed to the landing board and entrance.

If there is ANY honey still on those combs the bees are not scouts but robbers. Never put honey anywhere where it can be robbed or you will have bees from all the local hives in attendance.

 

[Ian123]

I set up a hive at a favourite alighting spot (ley line?) at the weekend and it was being checked out within minutes, it is a brood chamber of 11 old combs with the remnants of osr honey. It has a 3/4 hole in the centre of the front wall which seem to get all the attention of the scouts as opposed to the landing board and entrance.

Sticking old frames with honey in out is not great and I don’t think attracting robbers makes any difference to a bait hives success. Particularly with lemon grass oil I often get a few interested bees when initially placed out. So don’t get to excited first off. Ian

 

[rook66]

If there is ANY honey still on those combs the bees are not scouts but robbers. Never put honey anywhere where it can be robbed or you will have bees from all the local hives in attendance.

Do you think that I don't the difference? The remnants of honey is rock solid

 

[Newbeeneil]

Do you think that I don't the difference? The remnants of honey is rock solid

Of course, robbers wear little masks and carry a bag with swag written on it!

 

[SandraEC]

I have six bait hives in various locations around my village, they have some old frames inside and lemongrass oil which I reapply weekly. Two of them, the nearest to my own hives, had 20-30 bees at a time coming and going yesterday so I'm hoping I may be lucky with them. I have previously attracted two new colonies to hives in a neighbour's garden - one which had swarmed from one of my hives.

 

[gmonag]

Of course, robbers wear little masks and carry a bag with swag written on it!

They already have the stripey shirt.

 

[charles10]

A bit of a beginner question but,
How does a scout bee find a bait hive if it’s a new location?
Some of the more experienced beeks have established bait hive locations, does that make a difference?

I have a pine tree in the garden. 2 years ago I caught a swarm on one of the branches. Last year there were 3 swarms on the same branch one week after the other. This year Im hoping they select a lower branch as the tree has grown somewhat in the last 2 years.

 

[Ian123]

Do you think that I don't the difference? The remnants of honey is rock solid

Not sure what difference the honey being rock solid makes? If you can tell the difference between a robber and a scout flying out the front door can you pls tell me!

 

[Apiarisnt]

Scouts scouting out



password: Baden Powell

From a year or three back

 

[Antipodes]

Scouts can be so numerous/active that they can look like a nest. One in particular I was called to last year, really looked like a nest.

 

[Bear]

View attachment trim.F1DBBF08-00B4-411B-8100-F9EC9102D387.MOV
That’s a video from June 2019 was working at a house out in the country side. The nuc only had old drawn comb, no honey and it attracted quite a few bees. I recon from 2 colony’s because the bees would sometimes fight each other. That was about 6 hours then taken away. Had I been there longer I would have left it. I recon I would have caught a swarm.

 

[Antipodes]

View attachment 25717
That’s a video from June 2019 was working at a house out in the country side. The nuc only had old drawn comb, no honey and it attracted quite a few bees. I recon from 2 colony’s because the bees would sometimes fight each other. That was about 6 hours then taken away. Had I been there longer I would have left it. I recon I would have caught a swarm.

I can hear tanging, presumably to bring the swarm down.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you watch a bait hive being investigated robbers simply come and go. They dart about the entrance go in and fly out.
Scout bees looking at a new home will also walk about the entrance and fly round the outside of the box then walk around a bit outside then go back in a few times.