Karen Oland wrote:

>On at least one other list, mint is recommended to rub on the inside of a
>box prior to catching a swarm, to get them to accept it better.  Several
>sources I've seen recommend mint or lemon balm to grow near bees or add to a
>smoker to keep them calm.  I doubt either would work as a repellant.

    Yes.  About 2000 years Collumela recommended smearing crushed
lemon balm and wax flowers on the inside of swarm hives.  Those
substances contain some of the chemicals found in the Nasanov glands.

    We have a lot of lemon balm and lemon grass in our yard and still
have honey bees visiting.

                                                Adrian
--
Adrian M. Wenner                (805) 963-8508 (home office phone)
967 Garcia Road                 [log in to unmask]
Santa Barbara, CA  93103        www.beesource.com/pov/wenner/index.htm

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*    "We not only believe what we see:
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