The Iowan Path

[Buckeye Guy]

Another nice job Jon
good to hear from you

[Pat B]

Is there a reason you put Annette's shed out on the back 40, Jon.   

[iowabow]

Annette's reply, "I wanted it to have its own little space".

[Pappy]

Nice shop, and good response, what Annette wants she should get.
 Pappy

[iowabow]

Trying the swarm catch thing this year.

[DC]

Why up a tree? Varmints?

[iowabow]

I am hoping it is easier for the bees to find/see.  Also, scent left in a queen cage from a recent package of bees might carry on the wind for a greater distance.

[GlisGlis]

following your bees tales
for swarm catching they say lemon grass oil or even lemon pledge work well
also read in this book:
gutenberg.org/files/34063/34063-h/34063-h.htm        (add www. )

that they heated a large stone and placed old honeycomb on it to attract scouts bees

How the raising queen nucs going?

[Parnell]

I've got lots of lemon grass growing.  If it helps, let me know I'll send some off to you.  Looking forward to seeing how that goes.

[iowabow]

following your bees tales
for swarm catching they say lemon grass oil or even lemon pledge work well
also read in this book:
gutenberg.org/files/34063/34063-h/34063-h.htm        (add www. )

that they heated a large stone and placed old honeycomb on it to attract scouts bees

How the raising queen nucs going?

Thanks for the help. The nucs from the split seem to be doing well and the equal split looks strong. I placed an excluder between the  couple brood boxes so I can isolate where the queen wound up.

[iowabow]

I've got lots of lemon grass growing.  If it helps, let me know I'll send some off to you.  Looking forward to seeing how that goes.

Thanks Steve I found some lemongrass essential oil at walmart of all places and put a couple drops on a Q-tip.

[iowabow]

Bee keeping is like some kind of crazy Voodoo to me.

[Pat B]

Citranilla (sp) is made from lemongrass and it is an insect repellent. 

[Outbackbob48]

John, used to see an ole bee keeper at the local watering hole and he always said he read the" ABC and the XYZ of Beekeeping" then went from there. Quite a small town character, I believe he could have learned me a thing or two.

[iowabow]

Thanks Bob! I am waiting for another book to show up.
Yesterday we built a screen for Annette's "She Shed". Today she is hanging in with me on chores even after two bee stings.
As for activity here on site, we have had two high schools over for clay projects and a bunch of guys are wanting to start building bows again, plus we have 4 more events scheduled for clay stuff. We have just a little more work on the inside to do and things should start hopping.