Saturday, April 1, 2017

beeline

Beeline.  n. also bee-line, 1838, American English, from bee + line (n.), in reference to the supposed homing instinct of bees in the field.  TO LINE BEES is to track wild bees to their homes.  One who follows this occupation is called a bee hunter. [Bartlett, 1859]
Was pretty easy to track my bees from their water source back to their home...in a pile of tires in my junk yard.  Just watched which way they were coming and going and walked a short distance until I found the swarm.  Placed my old bee box on top of their tire condo.  From what I have read, lemongrass oil is a powerful attractant so I have some coming Monday.  Will they move into the penthouse?  82,85,54,0,W

11 comments:

Janet said...

I have been using essential oils for years and have all kinds of essential oil reference books and have every oil you can imagine and yet never knew this about lemongrass. Thank you so much. I will NOT use this outside. We have a swarm of bees in one of the old trees in our front yard and I have been chased by them in the past and stung a few times. I've also heard to be careful what colors you wear around them.

I've also heard you should never stand in front of the entrance to their hive.

Unknown said...

I would think that some sugar water would draw them right in there, I make my spring feed 1-1, put it in a jar and some kind of mesh screen tube stuck in it would be a safe feeder, bees will relocate for food! Wonder what all is blooming out there in you terrain for them to feed on right now?

Unknown said...

Will the bee box be disturbed by any of the local critters? Black bears are problem up here in my neck of the woods.

John Wells said...

Plenty of flowers for food and they already have a water source. From what I have read, lemongrass oil is the best way to entice them into a new home. No bears here...nothing that will bother the bee box unless the bunnies get feisty.

Margery Billd said...

What are you going to do with those old tires? Some young Bush people in S.E. AK used junk tires as part of the construction of a one room dwelling.

Off Grid Research said...

Getting the queen to move is what it takes.
If they don't move check with Big Bend Bees on Facebook.

PeckPhoto said...

I"ve tried Lemongrass oil with no success. Here's my advice as a beekeeper: Put on a bee suit, place your bee box on the ground and take the tire with the bees in it and shake it so they fall into the box. If the queen falls into the box, all of the bees will follow. The bees only concern is staying with the queen

pamit said...

Cool! Is the problem with letting them *stay* in the tire, that you can't easily access it to harvest honey? Hmm.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?318022-Using-old-tires-for-hive-stands

pamit said...

Oops that was just for a beehive stand. But this has plans for an actual hive made of tires.

https://morningchores.com/beehive-plans/

Terry Lee said...

They need a Queen or they won't stay

John Wells said...

The queen is in the basement...all they have to do is move upstairs.