The present invention relates to an improved bee attracting composition, an apparatus to attract bees formed from that bee attracting composition, and a method and apparatus using Applicant""s improved bee attracting composition to attract and immobilize bees.
The immigration of Africanized bees, sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9ckiller bees,xe2x80x9d into the United States, and widespread fear of these more defensive bees has increased the public""s demand for removal of swarms and feral colonies of bees. At the same time it has made bee removals more problematic. Compared to European bees, Africanized bee colonies swarm more frequently and occur at higher density, so that swarms are more frequently encountered. When swarms or colonies are discovered, there is an increased likelihood that the bees will sting, and a much increased perception that they are dangerous. At the same time, there are fewer beekeepers willing or permitted to perform bee removals. Pest control specialists, and in some areas public agencies, are removing increasing numbers of bee colonies.
Swarms may be removed by hiving them or by spraying them with insecticides, including soap or detergent solutions. A major problem with either technique is that xe2x80x9clostxe2x80x9d bees remain at large after most of the bees have been killed or hived. Most of these are bees that were scouting nest sites or foraging away from the swarm cluster when control efforts began. It has been estimated that about 5% of the bees in a swarm participated in scouting one nest site, so in a swarm of 10,000 or more bees, the scouts can comprise several hundred bees. xe2x80x9cLostxe2x80x9d bees from a removed swarm remain near the swarm site, but fly around a great deal searching for their queen. These bees can survive for at least several days, and are likely to run short of food, which may make them more likely to sting.
Much has been learned about the behaviors of insects, including bees, in recent years. It is now understood that much of bee behavior arises from use of chemical substances, and mixtures of chemical substances, called xe2x80x9cpheromones.xe2x80x9d A pheromone is a substance secreted by an animal that causes a specific reaction by another individual of the same species. Many bee activities can be explained as the effect of various pheromones.
Applicants""novel invention includes a bee attracting composition formed by combining aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds which simulate various naturally-occuring honey bee pheromones. Applicant""s bee attracting composition can be formed into a solid apparatus which can be used to attract bees.
Applicant""s invention further includes an apparatus and method to attract and immobilize bees. This apparatus is formed from a substrate, an adhesive composition, and Applicant""s bee attracting composition. The treated substrate can be folded to form a synthetic bee hive. Bees are lured in the interior of the synthetic hive, are drawn to the adhesive component by the bee attracting composition, and become permanently immobilized upon contact with the adhesive.