# Lemon grass oil...



## Moonlight (Nov 12, 2013)

From what I've read it's best to put them at least 250 feet from an established hive that's swarming and have it high up like in a tree. Oil doesn't evaporate as fast as water but it does evaporate. That's why people put the oils on cotton inside of open plastic bags. It helps reduce evaporation. I'm no expert but I imagine once a week would be good.

I hear they like spearmint too.


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

I'd put it anywhere that the bees might notice. I like mine up higher so I hoist them up into trees on a rope. I've heard to avoid full sun. Refresh with a little lemon grass oil weekly, not too much! As far as away from hives- I have the best luck in the tree right over my hives, lots of swarms end up there even without a trap.


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## Scott Gough (Dec 10, 2015)

If you have some beeswax you can melt 1/2 cup of beeswax. Add 10 to 15 drops of lemongrass oil to the melted beeswax and mix. Pour the melted wax into small cupcake molds and insert a string or loop to hang the lure. Let them cool and put the lure in the traps prior to setting the traps out. I also rubbed the trap inside with the extra lures a little. 

These last all year and do not have to be refreshed. I put several traps out that are high enough in trees and I do not want to have to climb up weekly to refresh the lemon grass oil. I have some in my traps from last year that still smell like lemon grass oil.


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## Richard P (Feb 12, 2016)

Why would you want to attratc a swarm from your own hives?. Just curious


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Richard P said:


> Why would you want to attratc a swarm from your own hives?. Just curious


Probably not to "attract" so much as to catch one you didn't get managed. I have a trap up near my yards and occasionally catch a swarm. I like to think I manage it well enough to never have them swarm, but i know better. And if one does swarm, i hope i catch it rather than it flying away.


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## dvto2 (Feb 1, 2016)

So it sounds like catching a "wild" swarm is not very likely.


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Dynemd, what is the wedge shaped super in the picture in post no. 3?


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Richard P said:


> Why would you want to attratc a swarm from your own hives?. Just curious


I put the traps wherever they catch swarms, and that tree is where they like to land for some reason. I believe it's the proximity to the hives. If my hives swarm they will not go into one of these traps, I have to go get them out of trees or bushes if they don't go too far.



Riverderwent said:


> Dynemd, what is the wedge shaped super in the picture in post no. 3?


Those hive bodies and supers are all standard 10 frame equipment. The wedges on front on the bottom are landing boards and mid front those are awnings to keep the rain off the front of my bottom board/entrance to hive. I don't know about everyone else but if I get a big puddle on the front step my bees go swimming and drown or get chilled (die). I hope that answers your question. Maybe it's a shadow you're seeing.


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

dynemd said:


> I'd put it anywhere that the bees might notice. I like mine up higher so I hoist them up into trees on a rope. I've heard to avoid full sun. Refresh with a little lemon grass oil weekly, not too much! As far as away from hives- I have the best luck in the tree right over my hives, lots of swarms end up there even without a trap.


How do you manage a swarm like that? Is it truly caught? OR...when you let it down, will the bees stay on the trap. And how do you get all of they inside the trap?


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

jcummins said:


> How do you manage a swarm like that? Is it truly caught? OR...when you let it down, will the bees stay on the trap. And how do you get all of they inside the trap?


In this picture it could still depart if it found anything disagreeable. There are still a good amount of bees in the air also that haven't landed. But within the next hour they all shuffled inside through a round opening about 2" from the bottom. I leave that trap up in the tree for well over a week until I see them bringing in pollen which means they're raising some brood. This makes them much more likely to stay wherever I put them. That's a big trap about 57 liters, so plenty of room. The top is 7 large frames (2 brood comb and 5 foundation-less) and below that is a deep body's depth with nothing but open space. They'll always start building comb fro the highest area inside so when it comes time to move I'll open the cover and pull the frames and place them in a deep body. Replace the frames and hoist it back into the tree, in a different spot so the bees won't return there. The link to the plans at Horizontal Hive is here: http://www.horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml I made mine slightly wider for 7 instead of 6 frames.
In regard to size, if I may quote the infamous bee trapper odfrank 
"A large bait hive will catch a small swarm but a small bait hive won't catch a large swarm."


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## dvto2 (Feb 1, 2016)

I am just getting started, so I dont have any bees.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I drip a few drops on the bottom broard before placing and rarely refresh.
Three of my catchs so far this year, I am posting pictures to annoy Charlie who says I am a braggart. The two together were caught on the same day about ten feet apart.


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## dvto2 (Feb 1, 2016)

But it sounds like you all are taking about catching from your own bees.


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## Richard P (Feb 12, 2016)

lemmje said:


> Probably not to "attract" so much as to catch one you didn't get managed. I have a trap up near my yards and occasionally catch a swarm. I like to think I manage it well enough to never have them swarm, but i know better. And if one does swarm, i hope i catch it rather than it flying away.


 OK. I get the theory....... Hope your girls all stay in their hives though, LOL.......


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

odfrank said:


> I drip a few drops on the bottom broard before placing and rarely refresh.
> Three of my catchs so far this year, I am posting pictures to annoy Charlie who says I am a braggart. The two together were caught on the same day about ten feet apart.


Where can you buy those metal circular disks for the openings?


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## Scott Gough (Dec 10, 2015)

Kelley has them...

https://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/13/Hives-Components/Accessories/4078/Metal-Disc-Entry


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

Scott Gough said:


> Kelley has them...
> 
> https://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/13/Hives-Components/Accessories/4078/Metal-Disc-Entry


That's what I was afraid of.....shipping just KILLS the price.


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

ebay free shipping
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-Beekeep...hash=item3cd14dd825:m:mz9iBFJbiku_g3ZfnzJ5BDA


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## jcummins (Feb 21, 2016)

dynemd said:


> ebay free shipping
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-Beekeep...hash=item3cd14dd825:m:mz9iBFJbiku_g3ZfnzJ5BDA


My link says 6.29 shipping?? I'm probably just going to make something.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

I just purchased 2 from Kelleybees....I called them to place the order and they reduced the shipping cost.....$10.80 for 2 including shipping


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

It will last longer mixed 50/50 with a nice olive oil, and the bees seem to like it. Just use more. I used to mix that blend with beeswax, to a "spreadable consistency". A big smear lasts thru swarm season. But, it isnt very convenient.


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## AugustC (Aug 7, 2013)

One of two methods has worked for me. Melt old brood comb with some vegetable oil and then add LGO before it cools completely. This smeared on the inside of hive it an excellent lure BUT i accept if you don't have bees this doesn't help. The other way is put some LGO (10 drops is plenty) on a cotton wool ball and in a small ziplock bag left open a tiny-tiny amount. In both cases you put just one drip on the entrance and in both cases you are basically slowing the rate at which the LGO vapourises. Once baited leave it alone. You could add another single drop of LGO to the entrance after 2 weeks of so but nothing more. Too much LGO will scare them off. Once a box has had bees in once the chances of catching bees in that box again goes up massively. Bees begat bees.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I caution against plastic entrance discs. The deteriorate by exposure to the sun.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I put the LGO in once at the beginning of the swarm season. It probably would work better if I refreshed it in a about a month, but I never do...


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Them circle things are not required but are pretty. Use your staple gun and some bug screen when you want to move bees or swarms.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> I drip a few drops on the bottom broard before placing and rarely refresh.
> Three of my catchs so far this year, I am posting pictures to annoy Charlie who says I am a braggart. The two together were caught on the same day about ten feet apart.


All I know is I got the first swarm of the season and it came from Ollie's hive! I'm so thrilled I can't stand it!:banana:


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## mrobinson (Jan 20, 2012)

AugustC said:


> Once a box has had bees in once the chances of catching bees in that box again goes up massively. Bees begat bees.


Putting one "used" bar from another hive also helps attract them. Guess it smells like home.


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