Anyone using a fan rather than a smoker?

[biggles]

Sorry didn't mean to hi jack the thread.

To answer the question no they don't really vibrate but not sure why it would matter its not touching the bees or hive.

It only blows fresh air through it unless you get one that has the exhaust near the air inlet.

Very sorry again didn't mean to hi jack.

New beeks going through a hive with a leaf blower now thats funny

 

[RoseCottage]

Now I am sure my hive was here a minute ago...

 

[kazmcc]

We don't use anything when inspecting. We've not had any reaction from the bees in the few inspections we've done, they've always just got on with whatever they were doing and ignore us. Last time we had the smoker going a bit away, don't know why, maybe just in case as it was early evening, but still, only about 10 -12 bees in the air, didn't bother us, except the one that was head butting my veil, but when i walked away she gave up. Hope to keep it this way, but not naive enough to know that we will no doubt need smoke at some point. Can't imagine they will stay this nice forever. I'm new to this and thought you HAD to smoke them. I always thought it made them drowsy, but was told they get so engorged on honey that they find it difficult to bend and sting....also it's much like us eating a xmas dinner, you don't want to move anywhere or do anything but sleep I wouldn't like to make my bees think they were getting their house burnt down every time I want to inspect so I hope we can continue the way we are for the time being.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Today we managed all ours with just one puff of smoke on the last one. Used a towel as a manipulation cloth. One month after an AS that went wrong (queen disappeared and the parent hive swarmed so we ended up with three boxes) we have three frames sealed worker brood in each of two and two frames in the smallest one. All queens found