Using the swarm lures

In Wakayama Prefecture, where traditional Japanese apiculture has been practiced, beekeepers are making various tools to lure swarms. Every lures were made to mimic real branches, on which honeybees gather and swarm when they come out from a nest. They are thick, slant branches with rough surface. Therefore, beekeepers make a mountain-like shape with a piece of board and cover the inside surface of the shape with cedar or cherry bark, and then, hang it from a tree near the nest which is likely going to be swarmed soon. Then, a swarm comes to the lure and you get it.
In my case, I got a hint for my own swarm luring board from an idea of Mr. Hifumi Sato's (Kamikochi). First, you spread stainless steel net over a piece of plywood (2mm in thickness, 45cm�~45cm) and nail them together. Next, sprinkle broken bee wax all over the surface of the net and then melt the wax with a gas burner for an even application. Last of all, attach a square lumber (50cm in length) to the other side of the net and set it at a slant on a branch nearby a nest. There should be no obstructions in front of the branch.

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I have been catching swarms with this swarm luring board successfully. The probability of my luring board catching a swarm is 80 percent or more. It is also effective to catch escape colonies. It would be more effective for the lures to use with KINRYOHEN. I think these lures are necessities when you keep honeybees in the city area. So give them a try.

Observing a hive through glass

Since Japanese honeybees have tendency to escape, observation hives for Western honeybees (two honeycombs are set vertically in a hive) are not feasible for Japanese bees. Therefore, in order to settle honeybees in a hive, Mr. Usirokita at the Itami Insects Hall made a stainless steel hive which has a total of six honeycombs in it (two sets of three combs, upper and lower). I heard that it cost a hundred thousand yen. It has set outdoor of the hall and visitors can observe Japanese honeybees through glass, from both sides of the box, all year round.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kondo made a wooden observation hive for Japanese honeybees, getting Mr. Usirokita's advice. It cost a little less than fifty thousand yen. I made three of this wooden hives by March 2000. And I use these hives to observe the swarms which I have caught by myself. If you would like to observe Japanese honeybees with an observation hive, I will tell you with pleasure how to make a hive and to contact Mr. Kondo.

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Honeybees' life in a observation hive

In May, 2001, I caught a swarm and put it in an observation hive. They started to make a nest between the upper three combs. After a month, they expanded the nest making outside of the upper combs. The queen began to lay eggs into the cells one after another. The growth of the eggs was able to be observed. Sometimes, I saw the queen appear and lay eggs.
The honeybees' dance was observed about closed cells keeping pupae inside. Early in the morning, worker bees came home and danced to tell the family members where flowers were.

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