Swarm Product

Swarm lures are scented baits that make a trap or an empty hive irresistible to a passing honey bee swarm. A hang-up lure or a few drops of pheromone mimic the scent of a good nesting cavity, so scout bees investigate and lead the swarm in — the lowest-cost way to add bees to your apiary.

How swarm lures work

Bait a swarm trap or an empty hive with a lure and place it along a tree line or flight path during spring swarm season. Scout bees searching for a home pick up the scent, inspect the cavity, and the swarm moves in. Refresh or re-apply the lure through the season as the scent fades.

Choosing a lure

• Swarm Commander — a widely used pheromone lure, in spray, gel, super lure, and crush-vial formats to match how you bait and how long you need the scent to last.
• Quick-apply formats (spray, crush vials) are easy to top up; slow-release formats (gel and the super lure) hold their scent longer without re-dosing.

Pair it with a trap

A lure works best in the right container. See our swarm traps for options sized to the cavity wild swarms prefer.