At what point is using smoke helpful after installing a package of bees

[Falesh]

I have installed a package of bees to a new hive with no drawn comb. The few times I have had to open it up I haven't used smoke as there would have been no honey stores for the bees to go and eat. The bees have also been extremely gentle and I haven't felt the need to pacify them.

However I will be doing a full inspection in a few days, about a week after I installed the bees, and I am wondering if it would be worth using smoke then?

Cheers!

 

[theeggman]

As an in-experienced beek, my view is if they don't need smoke don't use it.
We always light the smoker and occasionally use to push the bees back down when closing up to prevent deaths, but we don't need it during full inspections.

So if your bees are gentle be thankful and treat them gently.

Tim.

 

[pargyle]

I'd agree with Tim above ,,, I have a smoker going but sat some distance away ... never had to use it on my bees - very well behaved but the smoke if there is you need it. You might also conside a fine water spray mister ... not for spraying at them but sparingly and well above the hive - that will usually send them down into the frames if they are milling about on the top.

Be thankful that you have gentle bees and do as little as possible to make them behave otherwise.

 

[enrico]

There are a couple of things to note. You don't HAVE to use smoke, if you NEED to use it then do. It depends on what, when and how long it takes. Use it when you feel he bees need a bit of calming down, you will know when they are beginning to get fed up of you, the tone changes, many more bees start to climb through the top bars. And as a last resort keep a can of fabispray handy. It is smoke in a can but the bees hate it. If they boil out on you and you desperately need to close them up again then fabispray can be a lifesaver, guaranteed to drive them down for the few seconds it takes to close them up!
Go with what your bees require and not by set codes of practice!
E

 

[Heather]

Smoke is only if bees not co-operative. Just be patient. Smoke ISNT compulsory.
If you are going in a hive and want to calm bees, use a cover cloth, wait 10 seconds... bees all gone back down. Just keep folding cloth back as you progress across the hive , with a 2nd cloth following behind covering the inspected bees. Please give it a try.

Smoker nearby, of course, in case ... but I inspected 10 today with cloths, bees fine, no stings, and smoker back in store room. But do as I say not as I do.

AND fresh cloths for each hive. I cut up old bath towels to box size, works fine.

 

[user 6228]

Given their acute sense of smell I imagine just having the smoker lit somewhere up wind is sufficient. I only get asked by the beekeeper to use the smoker to move the bees so they dont get squashed.

 

[Falesh]

Thanks for the replies. It's a good point about not using the smoker unless it is needed, and about using it to help reduce bee pancakes.

One thing I am still uncertain about, and it's almost an academic point, is whether it does any good if there is no honey for them to rush to eat? From what I understand the effectiveness of using smoke is mainly due to the bees feeding up on honey. There is also the possibility that it masks alarm scent signals too though. If the bees don't have the stores to feed up on would smoking merely make them more anxious without giving the benefit of making them very full of honey?

 

[Heather]

It distresses them whatever the state of the hive. Emergency only in my book, not an automatic use.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Inspected nine last night - quick puff of smoke at the entrance a few minutes before opening up and that was it, only hive I used smoke on was the last one - rain approaching, temperatures dropping and I didn't have time to hang around while they settled.

 

[Alabamaeee]

I have taken to using minimal smoke into the top of the bb and wait a couple of minutes before opening up. I have found that they aren't as inclined to be congregated at the top of the frames as they were when I used to smoke the entrance.

 

[madasafish]

I always have a lit smoker and rarely use it. Bees appear not to mind - unless it is thundery.. then I need to use one..