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I've been keeping this blog for all of my beekeeping years and I am beginning my 19th year of beekeeping in April 2024. Now there are more than 1300 posts on this blog. Please use the search bar below to search the blog for other posts on a subject in which you are interested. You can also click on the "label" at the end of a post and all posts with that label will show up. At the very bottom of this page is a list of all the labels I've used.

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I began this blog to chronicle my beekeeping experiences. I have read lots of beekeeping books, but nothing takes the place of either hands-on experience with an experienced beekeeper or good pictures of the process. I want people to have a clearer picture of what to expect in their beekeeping so I post pictures and write about my beekeeping saga here.Master Beekeeper Enjoy with me as I learn and grow as a beekeeper.

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Friday, March 25, 2011

Setting Up an Old Hive as a Swarm Lure

As you know, my hives on my deck died last fall so I went into the winter with no bees at home. I do have the hive boxes and drawn comb from the defunct hives. I decided to set up one of the hives in my yard as a swarm lure.

I set two hive boxes up with old drawn comb. I took the swarm lure that I made a couple of years ago with lemon grass essential oil (still smells great and lemony) and put some on the hive.



I smeared swarm lure on the landing.


I smeared swarm lure around the hole in the inner cover.






I smeared a little swarm lure at the front of the frame bars in the top box.




The comb in the hive is this past year's comb (only a year old) so it still looks pretty good from when the bees made it.



Now, if I'm lucky and the scout bees fly my way, I may capture a swarm through little effort on my part.
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4 comments:

  1. I will be very interested to see if that works!

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  2. I had my Top Bar Hive set up with lure like you do...fortunately I was called to capture a very small swarm and installed it. Cant' wait to hear how you made out.

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  3. I also can't wait to see how it works out!

    Chris

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  4. I forgot to say in this post that I almost always have the surprise of new bees moving into old abandoned equipment. Happens almost every year! Cross your fingers.

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