Bees attacking smoker bellows

[dpearce4]

Every time I do my bees at the moment they seem to want to sting the **** out of my smoker bellows, it is taking 50-100 stings, im sure its because it has sting pheromone imbedded into it. Whats the best way to get rid of the pheromones? its the cheap thornes smoker with the soft leather not plastic.

suggestions please, thanks.

 

[Dishmop]

What are the bellows made from?

 

[megadyptes]

its the cheap thornes smoker with the soft leather not plastic.

So, soft leather at a guess...
Could you not give the bellows a quick wipe down with some mild soap suds and then give them a coat of leather conditioner once dry?

 

[bontbee]

I scrub mine with washing soda at the strongest recommended mix. Then I rinse - more accurately sloosh - it with clean water. I hate that horrible white deposit that is left if you don't rinse

Unfortunately, as I don't get stings in the bellows(!) I don't know if it will help you. Even the banshee colony I now have (since the weather turned iffy, so I am hoping it will be a temporary temperament malfunction), hasn't gone for the bellows yet.

Soda should get rid of any sting smell, I'd have thought, if washing powder does the same for suits...

 

[Dishmop]

as I don't get stings in the bellows(!)

cheaper than implants.

I read somewhere once that bees dont like leather but if so then why are so many beek gloves made with leather sleeves.......so that may not be true.

 

[Anduril]

I have coated mine with vaseline, it has reduced stings by 90%. May just be a coincidence.

 

[Finman]

my smoker bellows, it is taking 50-100 stings,.

That is strange. One hive or all?

Can you change that bellow? They are sold alone too.

Are you sure that your bees are not mad? I have had some hives which attack on smoker and go in via smoke hole.

What do you burn there?
I have noticed that if there is burning bee wax, beed become mad. Outer layer of birch bark makes them mad too.

.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I have coated mine with vaseline, it has reduced stings by 90%. May just be a coincidence.

Yes but what about your bellows.

 

[Anduril]

Yes but what about your bellows.

Depends what you're smoking. While reading the forum

 

[dpearce4]

That is strange. One hive or all?

Can you change that bellow? They are sold alone too.

Are you sure that your bees are not mad? I have had some hives which attack on smoker and go in via smoke hole.

What do you burn there?
I have noticed that if there is burning bee wax, beed become mad. Outer layer of birch bark makes them mad too.

.

Most hives Finman.

Started about a month ago and happens every time I use them.

its this smoker http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-sta...th-removable-easy-light-firebox-/121481246946

sort of like suede I have been using it for over a year so it didn't start straight away.

there can be 20+ bees trying to sting it at any time I go anywhere near the hives with it. its really strange.

 

[REDWOOD]

someone posted here before about suede

 

[protheroe]

My bees sting my thornes smoker from time to time but that's usually while they are trying to kill me.if they are in aggressive mood then they will sting anything that shouldn't be there

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I had one colony that attacked the smoker bellows - and other things too. Once they went the problem went away too. If it's only the bellows they are attacking and nothing else, a clean should reduce it - or buy a spare smoker and use that for a while.

 

[Finman]

.
Is it possible that poison has been first in gloves and it has rubbed then into bellow leather via fingers. That has started chain reaction. Situation is impossible if bellow gets new poison all the time.

 

[bontbee]

On Finman's point, my OH was given a free pair of gloves when he bought a full suit from a very reputable company. The bees went ballistic (on two occasions) for them, all along the seams. I was working the same colony barehanded. Once he had ditched them for Marigolds, peace reigned once more. I suggested he contact the company to advise but he declined and just binned them.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Looking at the illustration of the smoker, the bellows appears to be made of what used to be called chrome leather. Clearly something used in the tanning process is annoying the bees.

If it were mine, I'd try to mask the smell from the leather in the bellows. Take it to your next association apiary meeting and get somebody to give the leather a good smoking to mask whatever odour it is giving off. Those loose suede-like tufts of hide on the bellows should absorb the smoke smell very well.

Good luck with it

CVB

 

[yeogi75]

Hi Doug ,cvb could be right, check the edge of the leather and see if you can see a thin bluish to black line in the middle like a sandwich, chrome leather is made by splitting the leather in two thickness and one becomes leather for shoes and the other is treated for suede

 

[dpearce4]

I will have a look in the light tomorrow see what they looklike.

I have got the vintage brass bellows out the cabinet to use for the next few weeks. what a shame they have never been used and cost me thousands but better my health.

 

[wessexmario]

I attended a "Bee Health Day" and picked up this tip which will probably help.

Wrap the bellows with a plastic bag.

The original idea was from a Bee Inspector, to keep the bellows clean and prevent inter-apiary contamination, putting the bellows in a bag will also contain whatever smells are annoying the bees. The 'bags' I saw demonstrated were disposable shower caps, a few pence each when bought in bulk.

If you do it from new, then the bellows will be unlikely to pick up the wrong pheromones, and it'll also improve your apiary hygiene. If isolating with a plastic bag doesn't fix the problem, then the only option might be to replace the bellows with new clean ones.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Heres a tip for you, rather than buying new bellows, if you can get an old office chair with padded vinyl or even leather seats, just cut the cover off, take off your old bellows, sit them on the cover & draw around them & cut out, thats what i used when i reconditioned an old rotten smoker