If you want to increase your chance of successfully attracting a swarm, you can add an attractant to your bait hive. Lemongrass is very similar to the queen bee’s scent. Honeybees find the mixture of lemongrass and beeswax irresistible.
Lemongrass Swarm Lure Recipe
Yield: 3 ounces
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons beeswax
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 40 drops (2 milliliters) lemongrass essential oil
Directions
- Make a double boiler using a tin can. Melt the beeswax and olive oil together in the can, over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
- Add the lemongrass essential oil. Stir the mixture while it cools, just until it begins to thicken. Pour into a 4-ounce tin. Allow the lure to cool.
To use
- Smear one tablespoon of the swarm lure at the back of the hive box.
- Set the hive box in the shade, raised above the ground where it is dry.
- Wait for the bees to swarm. You just might get lucky
15 Comments
I do something simular, but forgoe the olive oil. This gives a hard wax block that can be placed in the hive, or used as a “crayon” to coat a surface. A little more versatile than paste…and its easy to keep a few in the car for surprise swarms.
What if I use the wax block like a crayon and rub it on a fresh supper or 2 . Then place it in my swarm box. Would that be ok?
When you say to smear it at the back of the hive box do you mean on the back of the box outside or on the inside?
Thanks for the great articles!
When you say to smear it at the back of the hive box do you mean on the back of the box outside or on the inside?
Thanks for the great articles!
Debbie
How long does this lure last? Thanks
Good education l would try it and give feedback
Please we’re can I buy the lemongrass essential oil used in attraction of bee into the hive
Here in Uganda we use a different technique.
We use lemongrass, wax and cow dung to smoke the hives.
The bees swarm in a day or 2.
Michelle, Thank you for sharing this. If you’re interested in writing a blog for us about how you keep bees, we’d love to learn more. You can email me at ctilghman@ogdenpubs.com
I seen lemon grass oil work and planning on putting out ten bait box’s this year. Thx
You can substitute Coconut Oil for the Olive oil.
Why are the boxes to be put in the shade .My husband has now lost 2 hives as they just packed up and left we have flowers everywhere and food. He has 1 hive occuoied wirh a small group left that’s all . His boxes are in the sun.Should the hives be kept in the shade all the time ?We are on mainland Spain summer temps can be 40 plus winter sometimes at night minus 2 to 10 in the day
the information on attracting bees is very helpful,i will practice it and keep you updated
We used your bee lure recipe to pick up a swarm that had settled into the cap of a propane tank. We set the box on top of the tank and the bees very quickly started moving into the box. Brilliant!
I am from Abia State, I find it difficult to prepare a bee attrantant.I have up to eighth hives for over two years now non have colonized am getting tired of the whole situation.Pls tell how to prepare their attractant use local materials within the south-east of Nigeria. Thanks.