Looking for Bees/Lure?

Hi, Jennifer—the bees are busting out all over! I am the Forum moderator, and a mentor to new beeks. When you say you are “new” can you describe what books you have read, meetings or HoneyLove Sanctuary visits attended, or if you have a mentor yet?
Education is key to success with bees, and critical when keeping them in the confines of the city. I urge you to join HL and come to meetings where we have monthly topics presented and many like-minded folks that you can connect with. All that being the preamble—luring a swarm to your new woodware is not a sure thing. They often show preference for cavities previously occupied by other bee colonies. Bees are highly driven by pheromones and chemical signaling, kinda the way you see with dogs as they pass down the street gathering information by smelling every fence post and tree trunk. So, bees may come as a swarm to occupy your hive, or it could sit there for years and not attract anyone.
Please write back with a little more information to the questions above and help us help you to get up to speed. The rains of the last 3 months have caused a explosion of swarming activity (I have picked up quite a few) and colony cutouts are another source of resilient, well-established bees.

Great preparation steps!!! Michael Bush is wonderful and if you have been part of BBK in the past, you know we also advocate using feral, survivor stock bees, unlimited brood nest, and no treatments. I would only urge you to get a mentor. Maybe Erik of Root Simple would have some guidance for you, as I am in Manhattan Beach, and he is more in your part of the city. (though I have students in Glendora, Hollywood, and Thousand Oaks—just depends on patience in working with my schedule)
I am doing a large cutout of a old kitchen cabinet on a deck in Redondo Beach on Tuesday, if you would want to assist and learn by seeing a wild hive in situ—-this is how most of my students get their first hive and how I acquired by first colony (with Rob McFarland mentoring me!)
It is fascinating work and you get a real jump start in understanding how a hive organizes itself.
I looked up the book by Dominique di Vito that you listed and I don’t put it on the same level as the others. She seems to be a dog person (many dog books) and is not listed as being a beekeeper. There are a LOT of writers out there putting out books about beekeeping and most of the impetus seems to be wanting to ride the wave of beekeeping interest that is flooding the country right now—the use of the term CCD is a flag, as most scientists are no longer using that term. Many authors have NO experience with bees at all. One has to be careful, especially as the books with a treatment-free stance are very few.

Hi, Jen—no I don’t have your email, but here is the address—514 So. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach—parking is not the greatest. We will be setting up at 10 am. You only need to wear your beesuit and veil, boots or shoes that cover your foot and ankles, and gloves. My more experienced student, Chuck, is adopting these bees to live in Palos Verdes.
my phone is 310-374-4779 or cell 310-421-6892

Jennifer—remember we did the cabinet cutout? I still don’t have any contacts for you—email, phone, —can you please call me? I have a cutout in a tire in PV that needs to be done soon—the house is in escrow. You could take the bees by bringing your woodware and the experience you got last week please reply Susan