Scouts not impressed with bait nucs?

[HughMann]

I have set up a few nucs with lemon grass oil and old propolis and wax rubbed inside. Set nice and high and within 24hrs activity from scouts. Next day, more activity and even defensive behaviour from what looked like a resident guard team.
2 days later - nothing.
Do you think they have decided to go elsewhere or will they maybe come back when it gets warmer again?

 

[Erichalfbee]

They could have decided to go elsewhere
They could come back on the next sunny day ( remember swarms usually bivouac somewhere before they go into their new home)
Their beekeeper might have dealt with their swarm preps.
Take your pick.

 

[Ian123]

Nucs are not the ideal or preferred size you will get much better results from a full size brood.....and yes before the normal reply’s I’ve had swarms use nucs and indeed they will use them but use a larger size and improve your odds. Also when applying lemon grass it does appear to attract extra attention when fresh and I think it drags some bees in that are not scouts.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Fair point about the size.
I use 14x12 Payne’s nucs expanded to eight frames.

 

[madasafish]

One old brood comb in 2 x stacked 5 frame nucs works a treat.

 

[user 6228]

make sure the nucs are a dark colour...

 

[Ian123]

Never had a problem with colour but they sure work better in a sunny spot.

 

[Newbeeneil]

It's interesting the comments you are making as I had one of the biggest swarms I've ever had go into a box of about 30ltrs (4 frames - 1 Old wax the others starter strips) in the depth of a wood last week. The colour was cedar btw.

 

[monarda]

Last couple of years I've enticed a couple of swarms each season using a Paynes 6 frame poly nuc with internal feeder wall hacked out to increase internal volume, blocked off omf with a bit of ply ,added an old brood frame , placed on top of shed in sunny positon facing east with a couple of small split logs on roof .....a) to weigh it down and b) I read somewhere that bees find this more attractive (not sure of scientific proof behind this but I kind of like the look of it and it has worked so far ), and finally a drop or two of lemon grass oil squirted in/around the entrance then crossed my fingers.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Last couple of years I've enticed a couple of swarms each season using a Paynes 6 frame poly nuc with internal feeder wall hacked out to increase internal volume, blocked off omf with a bit of ply ,added an old brood frame , placed on top of shed in sunny positon facing east with a couple of small split logs on roof .....a) to weigh it down and b) I read somewhere that bees find this more attractive (not sure of scientific proof behind this but I kind of like the look of it and it has worked so far ), and finally a drop or two of lemon grass oil squirted in/around the entrance then crossed my fingers.

Did you notice if the lemongrass oil caused any damage the poly of the nuc?

 

[For want of a better word]

Bees around this neck of the woods seem to like the size of a standard National... placed on the intersection of a few leylines of course!
( Trust that will not invoke the 48 hour naughty step penalty clause!!)

Chons da

 

[monarda]

Did you notice if the lemongrass oil caused any damage the poly of the nuc?

No damage noted but they are painted.
Dave

 

[HughMann]

Thanks for the commenst. I have added lemon grass, wax and propolis to my empty brood bo as well but with the clouds rainy days we are having, nothing is looking at them at the moment.
How do you get people to call you if they spot a swarm and want it removed?

 

[Swarm]

Are you on face book? My wife keeps showing me swarm reports, lots of them recently.

 

[HughMann]

Are you on face book? My wife keeps showing me swarm reports, lots of them recently.

I will never use facebook

 

[Ian123]

Local police also keep numbers and your local association.

 

[mike99]

Did you notice if the lemongrass oil caused any damage the poly of the nuc?

I put some in the entrance of the poly nuc and it melted a bit. I recovered a small swarm in it yesterday. it had used and undrawn frames and when I got them home I added some 1:1 and by this morning they had vanished apart from a few for some reason. I guess they didn't like the dark brown exterior.

 

[masterBK]

In our area people tend to ring the council who provide them with contact details of our association swarm coordinator who when contacted rings the beekeeper nearest to the swarm (from a list of members prepared to collect swarms) to go and sort it. The coordinator asks the caller suitable questions to screen out bumble bee/ wasp nests, solitary bees and honeybees simply visiting their flowers (like cotoneaster) & size of swarm and whether ladders are needed etc

 

[HughMann]

In our area people tend to ring the council who provide them with contact details of our association swarm coordinator who when contacted rings the beekeeper nearest to the swarm (from a list of members prepared to collect swarms) to go and sort it. The coordinator asks the caller suitable questions to screen out bumble bee/ wasp nests, solitary bees and honeybees simply visiting their flowers (like cotoneaster) & size of swarm and whether ladders are needed etc

Thank you for this information. I was mistakenly thinking the local club swarm contact ends up with all the swarms! I will contact them now. Very keen to get swarms!

 

[Repwoc]

Local police also keep numbers and your local association.

And (some?) councils. I collected a swarm this year from someone who rang the council.