On Fri, 9 Feb 1996, Kevin R. Palm wrote:
 
> Folks,
>
>         I have just returned from my county beekeepers association meet-
> ing, and was talking to our county bee inspector about my upcoming split
> this spring.  He told me that he had read about a solution of sugar syrup
> and vanilla extract that could be sprayed on both the new queen and the
> queenless hive.  Once sprayed, the new queen could be immediately introduced
> directly to the hive since they now smelled the same.  He couldn't remember
> the exact formula for making this solution, though.  Has anyone had experience
> with this method, and does anyone have the recipe for it?  Any help would
> be appreciated!!
>
> Thanks,
> Kevin Palm
>
> --
> Kevin R. Palm                     |  Beekeeper (1 hive, 1st year)
> Grafton, Ohio                     |  Red Dwarf/Babylon 5/NYPD Blue/ER fan
> (25 miles SW of Cleveland)        |  Resident of the 100 Aker Wood
> [log in to unmask] |  Member IECC/IECG/NOST/ICCF
>
 Kevin,  I have used vanilla extract in a 1 to 1 sugar suryp. I use a one
pint spray bottle.The spray bottle has to be of good quality. If you get
one and it will not put out a fine spray take it back  and get a
different brand. It takes about 10 drops to a pint. You probibly could
get by with less.You don't have to wet them down. Just a few sprays on
the top of the frames and maybe one frame that is pulled out. When you do
it early in the year, it could be cold so do it without spraying the
larva and  keeping them open very long.
  I use it in the spring when I do some requeening , but I normally let
the bees eat the candy out of the queen cage to release the queen. Two
years ago I hived 35 3 lb packages and did not loose a queen , when I let
her out on a frame that I sprayed the  bees. My packages were kept in a
cool dark place for a day and then hived them just before dark.
 Read and plan what ever you do with bees. I have been doing this for
over 30 years and have a friend that is 83 years old and has well over 50
years with bees behind him. We are learning all the time.We have some
very great people on this list working hard to find more answers that
will help us.
 Good Luck
 Roy