Todd inquired: >I was perusing the archives, and found a reference to a homemade >Nasonov lure. What intruiged me was that one of the three main >ingredients (Geraniol) is found in bee balm (genus Monarda). CLIP >Anyone on the list had any experience with using bee balm in this manner? Bee balm works fine, as pointed out by Virgil some two thousand years ago. Columella (a beekeeper and writer in the southern part of Spain during the Roman occupation) expanded upon Virgil's method. He advocated that beekeepers use swarm hives scented with bruised balm and wax-flowers "...and other similar herbs in which this kind of creatures takes delight, and rub the hives thoroughly with them, so that the scent and juice stick to them; then, after cleaning them, they sprinkle them with a little honey and place them here and there in the woods not far from the springs..." Lemon balm grows easily in our area and is somewhat of a pest once it gets established -- spreading over large areas unless kept under control. One can also use lemon grass for the same effect. For more on the role of these scents, one can read my 1992 January article ("Swarm movement: A mystery explained") in the American Bee Journal -- now readily available at: http://www.beesource.com/pov/wenner/abjjan1992 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 ***************************************************** * * "We not only believe what we see: * to some extent we see what we believe." * * Richard Gregory (1970) * ***************************************************** :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::