Siting Bait Hive

[Pooh Bear]

Hi
I have placed my hive (with lemongrass oil and a few drawn out brood frames) in my garden, but no interest. I am a first time beekeeper. I have not seen any bees in my garden. The field next door has an old apple tree with some bees feeding there. I can place the hive
A. directly underneath it, or
B. about 8 feet away
(these are positions I will be able to fence off from horses grazing)
Any suggestions?
Kind regards
PB

 

[Midland Beek]

I can't see the point of moving your hive such a short distance. However, I would make sure that it is in the sun. Having the sun heat up the hive might help get the aroma of brood comb spread on the wind.

And, of course, if you are hoping to attract a swarm it helps if there are honeybees and colonies nearby.

 

[Dishmop]

Popular subject these last three weeks.

I was under the impression that bees would move into a bait hive or nuc or empty hive because they had swarmed and were looking for a new home...... not move in just because they found an empty box....

Put a bowl of syrup on top of the bait hive, they probably wont find that either.....

Last week I put some old natural comb with OSR right in front of my hive....absolutely no interest at all until I propped it up against the landing board. My thoughts are that they didnt find it because they werent looking..... they were already finding food/pollen etc somewhere else so had no need to look...... therefore why look for a new home if the one you already have is good enough?
If.... on the other hand....... where you presently live doesnt have enough room to swing a leg of pollen.. move out and then send the girls scouts to look for estate agent boards....

 

[For want of a better word]

to look for estate agent boards


Please no !!!

Don't use estate agents

The commission ( sale or no sale by them) would cost a decades worth of honey!!!
NOW WHAT YOU NEED IS A BAIT SAUSAGE !!!!

 

[Dishmop]

to look for estate agent boards


Please no !!!

Don't use estate agents

The commission ( sale or no sale by them) would cost a decades worth of honey!!!
NOW WHAT YOU NEED IS A BAIT SAUSAGE !!!!

bit of a sore point is it?

 

[Heather]

Bait hives- huh!

I have 3 sited around my garden- all with lemongrass oil and old frames in.

I was opening a hive to give a prospective bee keeper a chat/tuition about bees and what happens in a hive - when the hive opposite sounded 'noisy'. I warned her they were about to swarm- Bless her, she was fascinated,not alarmed- as they came pouring out!!
They passed 2 bait hives and circled around for a while- so we went back to the hive we had been in- to close up - and then there wasn't a bee to be seen in the sky. GONE!
I muttered about ungrateful bees- and said I would have to go to neighbours checking their gardens.
I heard children shouting in another garden so presumed that they had landed there. Walked to my fence - and there they were- the bees I mean- on the grass and up a wire fence, still in my garden- Result!

To my shame- there were 4 queen cells in that hive- it was a good hive so I didn't check thoroughly enough - and they had a super to start on so loads of room. Another lesson- never presume.....

 

[hedgerow pete]

right the basics first
one watch the video
two just because you have a bait hive does not quarentee you will get a swarm
three, sods law applies to the above

any bait hive in any position will caatch a swarm , BUT ONLY IF THERE IS A SWARM to catch

siting the hive near to a feed spot helps as the bees might go back to tell the swarm commitee

adding atractants also helps greatly, rubbing the insides with wax andding leamon grass or thyme oils or swarm lures also help to. adding a few frames to start on

but it is all pot luck

so set it up and relax and see what happens we still have another three months to catch swarms

 

[Spadaman]

one watch the video

Pete, what video would that be?

Regards
Bill

 

[hedgerow pete]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JRVpSWJql0[/ame]

this one

if its not listed on the bee keeping forum website videos section you can find all of them at youtube, just type in hedgerow pete and you should find them, let me know if you dont

 

[Spadaman]

Cheers Pete

I thought I had seen all of your videos but obviously missed this one.

Quite interesting.

Regards
Bill

 

[Heather]

Methinks I underplayed the lemongrass!! I splashed it a little more generously yesterday- and today I seem to have about 50 bees in and out of a bait hive- I will investigate tomorrow. Maybe it does work!
Theoretically it shouldn't be a swarm from my bees

 

[hedgerow pete]

i splash my leamon oil every where at least 5 drops minium and a few for good luck on the landing boards and frame tops to

 

[Poly Hive]

I have a bait hive set up on the spot it got the swarm last year, and also though not close to the bait hive a stack of supers with just used frames in it.

No prizes for guessing where the interest is. So, to encourage them I put in some frames of foundation.

We will see.

The swarm that hived it's self at the apiary is doing nicely and has a massive queen. They though will be getting re-queened as I canna be doing with swarmy strains.

PH

 

[susbees]

The swarm that hived it's self at the apiary is doing nicely and has a massive queen. They though will be getting re-queened as I canna be doing with swarmy strains.

PH

What is your definition of a swarmy strain, PH? Heard two quite different numbers in the last couple of weeks...

 

[dpearce4]

hiya

can someone advise me please should it be leongrass oil or lemon oil that i put on a bait hive.

i have an old box but new foundation threw away my old frames.

i do have the wax though. could i put a block of that in the gap above the crown board.

does anyone have any other suggestions. i have tried searching for bait hives in the forum but didnt find much.

cheers for help.

 

[sputnam]

Lemongrass oil is the stuff you need. If you have old comb, just put it inside the bait hive.