It's swarm season and a good time to try to attract one to our bee yard. So today I set up a swarm trap/bait hive. It looks the same on the outside but inside it has only two frames of drawn comb instead of nine frames. (For non-beekeepers drawn comb are frames the girls have already built on. You start with wax foundation which is like a blueprint. The bees build it out to make cells for pollen and nectar storage and egg laying. I added a few drops of lemon grass essential oil to provide a scent that attracts the bees. Now we wait and see. I'm asking all the patrons of beekeepers to invite swarms to check out our lovely little dwelling.
