# ** Quick ? - Are Bee's attracted to Eucalyptus?



## Blossom (Nov 29, 2008)

*I may have done something very stupid. Do bee's like Eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil? I have hundreds of dead bees.*


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Eucalyptus trees yes, essential oils, I'm not so sure about.


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## BruinnieBear (Jun 30, 2009)

I've not had a whole lot of experience with Eucalyptus, being in Wisconsin, but I do know my wife uses it as cleaning agent. I believe Eucalyptus is a pollen source from its flowers, while the oil is a distillate from its leaves.

I don't think I'd use the same thing she cleans the toilet bowl with in my hives.

I've also read most eucalytus oil is imported from China and contains camphor.

Might be great for getting rid of wax moths?

BB


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## bakerboy (Apr 29, 2008)

I've purchased a few jars of eucalyptus honey, so yes on the trees.


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## Blossom (Nov 29, 2008)

*What I did was made stands so my hives wouldn't have to set on cement blocks where ants and any other crawling thing could get in. I wanted to eleminate some stress off the bees. Each leg sits in a cut off clorox gallon size jug. I filled about and inch it with oil and put some eucalyptus oil in it too. Maybe the oil would have been enough but once the bees got into it they couldn't get out of the oil and died.

It has been weeks and I noticed some ants crawling on the hive. I checked and the jugs are full of bees. 

What can I put in these jugs to keep crawling bugs out?? At the last bee meeting someone told me to put water and dish liquid. My poor hive, it wasn't doing the best to begin with and now this loss. And yes, this is my first year with bees so I don't know much of anything.

OR, I just had a thought. Did I hear somewhere that bees have an attraction to bleach?? My other hive is sitting in paint cans and I did the same to it but didn't see any bees in those cans... Could that be it?? Maybe the clorox drew them in and the oil did them in. Any thoughts are welcomed. 


. *


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## PCM (Sep 18, 2007)

For what it's worth, I have used cans with every thing from water to motor oil, and still had dead bees in them.

Then a leaf blows into them or a stem of grass reaches across them and here come the ants.

As far as painting the legs with grease etc. it works for awhile but dust and those durn leaves, and here they come.

I don't believe it's worth the effert.

A good strong hive will take care of quite a few ants and other varmits.

Good Luck 
PCM


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I use smaller cans and put water with vegie oil in them. the oil floats on top of water. I filled the cans up close to the top. some bees do get in and die. I made some awnings over the cans using a cut up coffee can, which seems to help keep the bees out some. I doubt your issue is with the essential oils or the chlorox smell. It's simply the fact that many bees come back and miss the entrance board so land on ground and try to crawl up into the hive. sometimes they miss the front board and land in the containers of oil/water.


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## Blossom (Nov 29, 2008)

*I have 2 hives. Why would this be happening to just the one?This is what is so baffeling. :scratch: One more thing if I could ask, - The other hive always has a load of bees on the outside entrance and active where the other hardly has any activity out side but today in checking there seem to be loads of bees inside and on all the frames. Why would that be? Thanks! *


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## letsrodeo (Jun 6, 2009)

salt !! in the jug and on the ground


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## bigbore (Feb 25, 2008)

I keep a small spray bottle of water and pine-oil with my stuff, if I see a heavy stream of ants, I brush off what I can, and spray the bottom cinder blocks with it all over. it will kill your bees if you get it too strong in the hive, but I haven't lost many with it on the bottom block. 

I have to spray them a few times, but they don't want to cross the pine oil, and soon take the hint.


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