Bees reacting badly to smoke

[UK Fisher]

I checked out my 2 new hives (from 6 frame nucs) of bees yesterday, and overall i am pleased with the way they are steadily building up, brood at all stages inc freshly laid eggs, stores of honey etc, but i have a question i would like some advice on if possible please.

On the 2nd hive i puffed a little smoke into the entrance and then some under the crown board as per the 1st hive, not too much, just a little to let them know i was coming.

Well,, the bees erupted out of the hole in the crown board like a volcano, i stepped back a few paces and watched with a little anxiety, but after a minute or two i realised they were not trying to attack me but they just buzzed around in what i would say an unhappy cloud, i was only about 6 feet away and i am sure if they wanted to "get" me they could have.

I then went back to hive and continued on with the inspection, but when i used the smoker again about halfway through, the bees again reacted as before,,,,

I finished the inspection and overall i think they are doing fine, i never saw the queen, but i did see fresh eggs,(like tiny dots of rice) so she must have been there very recently. I was not wearing gloves and the bees never once tried to sting me, they were just like a buzzing cloud above the hive.

Now, as a new beekeeper, i am worried about the queen/queenless thing,,, but to be honest they only reacted in this manner whenever i used the smoker,,,not any other time while i was inspecting.

Was the smoke too hot,,, have i missed a fundamental point here,,,,did i do something wrong out of my own ignorance???? The smoker was filled with woodshavings, and was fine on the 1st hive.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as to why they reacted like this to the smoker.

Thanks.

Jazz

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What do you use in the smoker?
If you use cardboard or shredded packing you have to be careful as some of it may be treated with all kinds of sh.. chemicals

 

[peteinwilts]

they also don't like it if the smoke is too putrid, or too hot. They like nice cool smoke...

 

[For want of a better word]

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sifone:

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sifone:

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What time of day was it?

If the smoke makes your eyes water,,, just think what it must do to the bees!

must go and get some more donkey droppings!!!​

 

[UK Fisher]

Approx 1 oclock, very warm and sunny too.....

The smoker had new wood shavings in it and was ok on the first hive,,,i wonder if i hadn't compressed it enough and it had burnt through by the time i did the 2nd hive, and although it was smoking well, maybe it was just too hot(the smoke)...

Jazz

 

[xgeordie]

My bees don't like smoke either. I now only use it to move the bees e.g. when replacing the crown board.

I think the current advice is not to use smoke to let them know you are coming.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

My bees don't like smoke either. I now only use it to move the bees e.g. when replacing the crown board.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Try and get some old sacks and let them rot a little, they tend to give cool smoke and don't tend to go out at a critical point. Also wait a minute or two after giving smoke before opening up, if you are looking into a number of hives smoke the next couple while dealing with the current one.

 

[tonybloke]

Try and get some old sacks and let them rot a little, they tend to give cool smoke and don't tend to go out at a critical point. Also wait a minute or two after giving smoke before opening up, if you are looking into a number of hives smoke the next couple while dealing with the current one.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

If I had to guess I'd say it was probably too hot.
A good test is to put your hand in front of the smoker and give it a puff before you smoke the bees. If it feels hot on your hand then it's probably too hot for the bees.

 

[Headnavigator]

Tried hessian and all sorts, mine simply behave better without smoke. If they get a bit bouncy it's usually led by me getting a bit stressed - guess they read humans better than we read bees? If I calm down they seem to as well.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I have recently started using hay as a smoker fuel after a recommendation here on the forum. I find it ideal - it lights easily, stays lit and produces a thick but cool smoke.

You can also try putting some green grass or leaves in the top of the smoker to cool the smoke down.

 

[beeatshellards]

also try dry grass, nice smoke produced, but it sounds like the smoker was definetely to hot...cool smoke is what the bees need

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Ok, I think I will get a response if I say this but I think it is totally unwise to start opening hives without some form of control, usually smoke. I understand new beekeepers who like to think that they are in tune with how the bees are feeling, however the behaviour of a colony can change in minutes and if you haven't the means of control you can get into trouble and it can result in you and people nearby being badly stung.
All the beekeepers I know commercial and hobbyist use smoke, Brother Adam used smoke, so always have the smoker lit just in case.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

All the beekeepers I know commercial and hobbyist use smoke, Brother Adam used smoke, so always have the smoker lit just in case.

So do I, difference is for one hive I don't need it and the other, the second smoke is wafted across the entrance (and yes it is cool - rotted wood and bay normally) twenty or more bees come out looking for a fight. The same is true in the broodnest, so I only use it to minimise squashing the little darlings.

 

[psafloyd]

If the smoke I too hot, are you putting some nice green material in the top to cool it down a bit?

 

[Headnavigator]

Ok, I think I will get a response if I say this but I think it is totally unwise to start opening hives without some form of control, usually smoke. I understand new beekeepers who like to think that they are in tune with how the bees are feeling, however the behaviour of a colony can change in minutes and if you haven't the means of control you can get into trouble and it can result in you and people nearby being badly stung.
All the beekeepers I know commercial and hobbyist use smoke, Brother Adam used smoke, so always have the smoker lit just in case.

I don't disagree - I still have mine lit and ready and round the corner just in case!

 

[Mike a]

I had a colony which hated smoke, the colony would rise to the top of the frames and fan like mad to get it out of the hive and at the same time I would find myself stood in a cloud of slightly annoyed bees.
Smoke -
Water -

If smoke is too much for them try a water mist spray. Use rain water and add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to give it a slight flavour which is also a nice treat fro them and encourages them to groom each other and themselves.

Also good for any bees which are bothering you, a quick mist is normally enough to make them fly away or knock them to the floor temporarily. Its just as effective at making them go down between the frames and there is zero chance of it going out or harming the colony.

 

[UK Fisher]

Thank you all for your replies, i think i am going to light smoker again and run it as experiment and see if indeed it gets or is too hot using woodshavings. It was fine on the hive before hand but maybe it got hotter before i started the 2nd hive,,,,i did stop for a cuppa in between

I like the idea of using water with a touch of sugar in though maybe that i take both smoker and sugar water with me next time and try and gauge if there's a difference.

Jazz

 

[Headnavigator]

I had a colony which hated smoke, the colony would rise to the top of the frames and fan like mad to get it out of the hive and at the same time I would find myself stood in a cloud of slightly annoyed bees.
Smoke -
Water -

If smoke is too much for them try a water mist spray. Use rain water and add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to give it a slight flavour which is also a nice treat fro them and encourages them to groom each other and themselves.

Ah, Mike A, I'm not completely mad finding the same thing then! Great, water mist and sugar it is in future, excellent, thank you!