# Anise as a swarm lure?



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

I know my bees dearly love the smell/taste of it. I use it instead of a smoker and as soon as I set the spray bottle down, they are all over it. Can't say I've ever used it in my swarm lure before though.


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## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

Bee hunters used to use it to attract bees to a bait station and then line the bees to their hive.


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## psm1212 (Feb 9, 2016)

herbhome said:


> Bee hunters used to use it to attract bees to a bait station and then line the bees to their hive.


Tom Seeley talks about using anise as an attractant for beelining in his book. However, I think it serves to attract foragers looking for food and I have not read anything about it serving as an attractant to swarm scouts looking for a new home.


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## Western (May 29, 2016)

Bears like it too........


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## hankstump (Jul 30, 2014)

So, if I use some Anise scent near the swarm trap would it get the bees in the area, and hopefully more bees find the box, where the scent of the box and Swarm Commander will take over for them to consider the box as a viable home. Is this a plausible strategy? 

Phil


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

I saw this on a YouTube channel so it must be true... Guy was putting feeders out near his swarm traps to encourage foragers to find the box. Figured the bees would already know about the box and nearby food when it came time to swarm. Sounded like a reasonable idea to me. He swore it worked.

Spiking the syrup with anise would certainly get the bees into the area.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

hankstump said:


> ... where the scent of the box and Swarm Commander will take over for them to consider the box as a viable home...


I didn't think the Swarm Commander lure needed any help. It's extremely potent on its own


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