For the Beekeepers

[MaryN]

Has anyone used a swarm lure, and was it successful?

[Straight Shooter]

Question Mary do you have a nuke box ? ....two would be better .

[MaryN]

I use topbars, SS. I have an empty one and wondered if a lure would work.

[Skean Dhude]

I've used swarm lures in the past but have had no success with them. I know others who have though including one guy in a big city who regularly gets several every year. All free.

Best way I have seen for swarm increase though is the Roger Paterson method. Taking a single hive of bees and making at a minimum bees for six other hives from that one. He explains that he doesn't understand why anyone buys imported bees. He uses this method to give all his new bee keepers bees while many bee clubs struggle to help starters.

[MaryN]

This particular hive is situated in our orchard. Every year the place is swarming with flying insects, a good number of which are wild bees. I don't mind if I capture wild or honeybees - the pollination of my trees and flowering crops is what I am after. I have a friend who wishes to split one of her hives; I was curious to see if a lure might work. Think I'll try it just to see what happens.

[Skean Dhude]

(27 March 2022, 08:29)MaryN Wrote: I have a friend who wishes to split one of her hives;

Much, much easier.

You could still try the lure as well. I still do.

[Straight Shooter]

The sil is incharge of the bee depot Mary ....I make the hives and general dogs body , we started off three years back with one hive lent to us and a colony to start us off .......we now have five good hives after loosing one we did have six ......the sil has split the hives to get all the hives we have now ....the queens have all been had from our stock and painted .....he starts each new colony in a nuk box then transfers them to a hive .....he did setup a nuk box and lure last year .....without success ! He still has a n box setup in the bottom wood just in case ....nothing to loose all to gain ......the sil is very keen and everything that should be done IS done ....he is good at it ! FairPlay ......as SD said taking in a swarm is at lot easier .....but learning to split a hive is better long term ........good luck Mary ! If you need anything else please ask .....then I will ask him for you .

[Straight Shooter]

Up to now this year we have produced 200 jars of honey ( 8oz jars) ……and there is more to come ! Will report the total later ! Excellent quality and taste this year ! .

[Skean Dhude]

Spending more time with my Bees. Trying new things such as Hive changes.
How many hives do people have? I have 3. Used to have 6 but things not gone well over winter with three being blown over. Two were totally device of bees when I detected it. One I tried to recover but failed. Bringing back to 5 this year and trying a move from nationals to the BeeHaus.

[Straight Shooter]

We have six hives and will increase to eight …..as I have said in earlier posts the sil is the brains of the operation …..I just make the hives and general dogsbody , SD , we use ratchet straps that are anchored to the ground with 2ft ringed steel spikes / or concreted in to prevent the wind taking them over ….although all the hives are not out in open ground and are protected by hedges and trees come autumn that protection will reduce.

We have a hand cranked extractor , which I am going to convert to a motor driven job and still use the manual option in a power outage .