How to attract a swarm of bees on your property. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
If chasing bees isn’t for you, another way to attract them is bait hives. You will need: Nuc boxes or old hive bodies, some new and old frames, and a swarm attractor. Place a ¾’ entrance in the nuc box or old hive body. Then place some new hives in the box but also use a couple of old frames that have an old comb in them. Then choose your swarm attractor.
You can use lemongrass oil, swarm lures (such as Swarm Commander), or you can use an old queen—which is the best swarm attractor. Place the old queen in rubbing alcohol or corn whiskey. Then squish her up, she’ll release a pheromone that will attract a swarm. Now, if you choose to use a swarm lure or lemongrass oil then just dab a q-tip or a cotton ball in them. Regardless of what kind of swarm attractor you use, you’ll have to place it on the top in the back of the hive body. That way the bees have to go all the way inside to the very back to get to the scent. After the swarm moves in and gets accustomed then hopefully they’ll make it their new home.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.