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Every beekeeper knows that in order to breed bee colonies, it is necessary to lure bees during swarming and catch a swarm. So you can create a new family. To attract a swarm, you need bait. Applying Uniroy bait to bee swarms is considered an effective method. It is important to know how to properly use this method to attract swarms.
What are the methods of attracting and catching swarms
Experienced beekeepers know some of the most popular methods for attracting swarms. The family begins to swarm when several queens appear. In one family, according to the laws, there must be one queen. Therefore, the newly appeared queens take away part of the swarm and look for a new home. At this point, it is important to catch the swarm and identify it in the hive. Then the beekeeper will get more honey and more hives on the site.
It is important to catch the moment of the very beginning of an important process, since the swarm stays close to the native hive for a very short time. Then he can leave the site, and the beekeeper will lose some of his insects.
Experienced beekeepers use the following methods to attract swarms:
- scions and pockets for fishing;
- special preparations;
- traps.
What exactly gives the best result in attracting swarms, each beekeeper reveals for himself independently.
Graft for bees
The graft has been used for a long time. This method was invented by the first beekeepers in antiquity. To catch swarms, they used a pole to which a horse’s skull was attached.
Now, as a scion to attract swarms, cone-shaped wire products are used, which are coated with propolis. Also suitable for attaching to a pole and simple boards. It is important that the base can withstand a weight of 3 kg. This is how much the initial swarm can weigh.
If the scion is not organized, then the beekeeper will sometimes have to climb into very uncomfortable and high places.
It is important to set the scion correctly to attract swarms. The ideal height is considered to be a distance of 4-6 m, but it can be lower. The search for a place for the hive is carried out by scouts who will not lead the bee colony to a territory close to damp earth or hot under the sun. Ordinary worker bees act as scouts. First of all, they inspect the places where pollen and nectar were previously searched. Therefore, the best place to install a scion is a clearing or trees in the garden, where there are always a lot of bees collecting nectar. Pastures, coniferous forests, arable lands cultivated by man are bad places, where a graft with bait will not work.
If the scion was already located on the site in previous years, then you need to pay attention to its effectiveness. If earlier it was possible to catch a swarm here, then the place was chosen well and should be used in the future. The effectiveness of attracting swarms will not decrease. Scouts do not collect pollen, therefore, if there are bees collecting nectar, the swarm takes root.
Do-it-yourself graft for bees
It is easy to prepare a scion with your own hands. To make a bait for swarms with your own hands, you will need a board 40 cm long and 20 cm wide and a 35 cm beam.
The beam is supposed to be covered with an old canvas taken from the hive. Lubricate the bottom of the board with an alcohol solution of propolis. Over time, the alcohol will evaporate, and the smell of propolis will remain. This will attract swarming bees.
A holder is attached to the board on the reverse side, for which the entire structure is suspended from a pole or on a tree at a height of up to 3 m.
Traps
Any beekeeper can make a trap with his own hands. This is a simple box with one opening that closes. In this case, the bees will perfectly endure the move. In order to make it more convenient to move the bees into the hives, it is recommended to put honeycombs and frames with foundation inside the trap.
You can make a similar trap to attract swarms from an old block of wood, freeing it from the core.
If a lot of bees are circling near the trap or scion, they fly out and fly into the hole – the swarm is caught. It is recommended to take prey when all the bees return from the fields. This is before sunset.
For traps, you can not use special baits. It is enough to put frames with honeycombs and an old canvas from a beehive. Canvas to attract swarms must be impregnated with propolis. Get a natural bait for swarming bee colonies. The smell of the native hive should attract them no less effectively than the bait. But experienced beekeepers still advise adding specialized baits so that the result is 100%.
Bait for bees
Now, to attract swarms, specific veterinary preparations are applied to scions. Their action is based on the basic bee instincts.
Most often, these baits are based on pheromones. These are dissolved components of the glands, for example, citral and geranium. In addition to the main substances, additional ones are used:
- geranic acid;
- neroliic acid;
- stabilizer hexane.
There are also improved solutions with the addition of acid 9 ODC.
The effectiveness of drugs mostly depends on the rate of evaporation of pheromones. For the use of baits, the above traps are suitable. It is important that the trap does not let moisture through and is painted green. Inside the trap, frames with wax and dry are installed.
The beekeeper must be able to correctly place traps, and this knowledge comes only with experience. Only with a skillful combination of traps and baits is it possible to catch the maximum number of bee swarms.
Among the baits, there are those that have long gained popularity among beekeepers and are considered the most effective.
Apiroy
A veterinary preparation intended for catching swarms during the period of bees swarming in the apiary. Externally, it is a white gel. The composition contains synthetic analogues of bee pheromones. Contraindications and side effects are not observed.
Ingredients of Apiroy for bees:
- geranyl;
- citral;
- geranic acid;
- neroliic acid;
- 9-ODC;
- stabilizer Phenozan-43;
- methyl esters of Phenylacetic acid;
- phenyl esters of phenylpropanoic acid.
Field tests have confirmed that the attractiveness of the drug to attract swarms is 50% higher than that of many other analogues. The drug affects the bees and attracts them to the scion.
Apply the drug as follows: 1 g of the gel is applied to the scion around the entire circumference. The layer should be updated daily.
When using Apiroy in traps, place 2 teaspoons of gel there. Traps should be inspected once every two days.
Honey collected by processed bees can be used as food without restrictions. According to the instructions, you can open a jar of gel only immediately before application.
Store the drug in a dry, dark place with a temperature not exceeding + 25 ° C.
Uniroi
Another popular drug that is used to attract swarms and single queens to bee colonies. The composition of the white gel includes synthetic attractants, as well as environmentally friendly natural fragrant substances.
When replanting the uterus in a bee family, it is necessary to treat her abdomen with a drop of honey and Unira preparation. After processing, the uterus should be planted in the middle of the nesting frame.
If Uniroy is used to attract swarms, then it should be applied around the circumference of the scion to a width of 8 mm. Enough 1 g of the drug. When using traps, an internal application of 10 g at a time is suitable.
Store the drug in a dry and dark place for two years from the date of manufacture.
Apimil
This swarm attractant is based on honey bee pheromones. Works great during swarming and helps to catch the swarm and settle it in the apiary. Prevents the swarm from moving to another area.
At the very beginning of swarming, the preparation in the amount of a third of a teaspoon is placed on the scion. It is necessary to renew the bait every day until the swarming process has passed.
In traps, the bait is also applied to the inside of the swarm. For this, 10 g of the drug is enough.
When a swarm is attracted, the preparation can be reused within 10 days. To prevent the swarm from flying off the hive, it is necessary to apply Apimil from the inside. Enough 1 year.
The bait is produced in plastic tubes. In one package 35 g.
Sanroy
Sanroy is produced in the form of cardboard strips, which are impregnated with a specific substance. This substance is an attractant. Swarm attracting bait has a pronounced attracting effect on honey bees.
It is used during the period of swarming bees, from about the end of June until the end of the summer season.
On the front walls of the traps with simple buttons, it is enough to stick 2 strips of Sanroy. As soon as the swarm is caught, it must be kept in a dark, cool room for several hours. And before evening, you need to transplant the bees into permanent hives with honeycomb frames.
One package contains 10 strips to attract swarms.
Conclusion
Applying Unirai bait for bee swarms is a useful method not only for beginners, but also for experienced beekeepers. Making traps or grafts with your own hands is not difficult, but grafting bees is more difficult. To do this, it is important to choose the right place so that the scion is not located too low or high from the ground. Special preparations based on pheromones will help attract bees and catch a swarm.
