Vita Swarm Lure Attractant - 10 Sachets, UK Made

Swarm Lure Wipes That Give Scout Bees a Reason to Pick Your Box

Every spring, scout bees from swarming colonies spend days checking out hollow trees, wall cavities, compost bins and the occasional letterbox before the swarm settles. If one of those scouts finds an empty hive box that smells right, you can end up with a free colony. A box on its own is a long shot. A box that smells like a place bees already live is a very different proposition.

This is Vita's swarm attractant wipe, made in the UK. Each box holds ten sealed sachets, and each sachet is a small wipe soaked in plant essential oils that scout bees respond to. Tear it open and hang it in a bait hive or near the apiary. University trials run by the manufacturer found the lure drew in a large majority of passing swarms.

How the Lure Works

Scouts look for the scent of an occupied nest. The oils carry that signal strongly enough that a scout investigating your box reports back with more confidence, and the swarm is more likely to vote your way. The same scent can also coax a swarm that has clustered somewhere awkward, such as high in a tree, down into a box or skep placed nearby.

Setting Up a Bait Hive

An old brood box with one or two frames of drawn, empty comb is close to ideal. Pin the opened sachet to the comb or place it just inside the entrance. Vita recommends the entrance face north in the southern hemisphere, with the box 1.8 to 2 metres off the ground, on a shed roof, a sturdy stand or a fence post bracket. Keep several boxes within about 50 metres of each other.

Timing and Replacing the Sachet

Swarm season across most of Australia runs from early spring into early summer, so get boxes out in September and keep them out through November. An opened sachet stays active for up to two weeks, less in hot weather. Dipping the lower end in melted beeswax makes it last longer, but molten wax burns badly, so use a water bath on low heat and let it cool before handling.

What It Will Not Do

A lure does not make swarms appear. It makes your box the one they choose when a swarm is already moving in your area, and it will not stop a crowded colony of your own from swarming. It is a honey bee product and does not work for native bees. Treat any caught swarm as a colony of unknown health: let it draw some comb on the honey it carried, then discard that first comb. Register the new hive with your state and check current biosecurity rules before setting bait hives, as they have changed in some states. Used sachets go in the household rubbish.

Specifications

• Brand: Vita Bee Health, made in the UK
• Contents: 10 sealed sachets per box
• Format: essential oil impregnated wipe in a tear-open sachet
• Active life: up to two weeks per sachet once opened, shorter in hot weather
• Placement: 1.8 to 2 metres above ground, entrance facing north
• Spacing: bait hives no more than 50 metres apart
• Use with: empty brood box, skep or bait hive, ideally with drawn comb
• Disposal: household rubbish, in line with local regulations

How many sachets are in a box?

Ten sealed sachets, each a tear-open wipe soaked in plant essential oils.

How long does each sachet last?

Up to two weeks once opened, and less in hot weather because heat speeds up how quickly the scent fades.

Does it work for native bees?

No. It is a honey bee product and does not attract native bees.

Where should I put the sachet?

Pin the opened sachet to a frame of drawn comb or place it just inside the entrance of the bait hive.

How high should the bait hive be?

Around 1.8 to 2 metres off the ground, with the entrance facing north in the southern hemisphere.

When should I put bait hives out?

Swarm season runs from early spring into early summer, so set boxes out in September and keep them out through November.

What kind of box works best as a bait hive?

An old brood box with one or two frames of drawn, empty comb is close to ideal. A skep also works.

Will the lure make my colonies stop swarming?

No. It only makes your box more attractive to swarms already on the move. Stopping your own colonies swarming takes space and good spring management.

How can I make a sachet last longer?

Dip the lower end of an opened sachet in melted beeswax. Use a water bath on low heat and let it cool before handling.

Do I need to check regulations before catching swarms?

Yes. Register the new hive with your state and check current biosecurity rules, as these have changed in some states.