I agree entirely that gently-gently is the approach to take, starting with getting ready.
- make sure your bee suit is bee tight - if there's someone with you ask them to check you over. It helps if everything is a light colour, including gloves, some colonies seem to take a real objection to anything black or dark.
- squishing and stinging bees. If you get stung, or you squish a bee, then the pheromones released may alert other bees to attack. In this case, walk away and completely remove the sting and bee, washing if necessary. Pheromones on unwashed suits and dirty gloves can cause them to want to attack before you've even started. A good rule is if you've been attacked, clean everything.
- don't stomp and bang about, or wave hands to fend bees away. Bees are sensitive to vibration, handle the hive and the bees gently and they won't sting you. Don't wave, slap, drop, thump, knock, rattle, ... you get the idea.
Open the hive gently and make gentle movements lifting and putting down. Be aware of your shadow, and reach arms around rather than over the open hive. I see this almost every time I visit other apiaries, it's usually the people waving and crashing around that get stung.
- Listen to the bees. If you hear the 'hum' of the hive change then just pause. If it sounds ominous or they start 'pinging' you, stand still, hold your arms near your body and tilt your head forwards a little - counter intuitive but it will make sure the veil hangs away from your face. Sudden movements like jumping back or running away will just convince them that you are a robber and then they may chase you. If your suit is bee tight, then standing still puts you at no risk. Sudden movements also increase the risk of your protection moving apart and exposing skin or allowing a bee to enter.
Smoke. Some may disagree, but I prefer to not use smoke, now I only bother lighting my smoker if I need it (it helps if you have it ready and can light it quickly though - I do have a supply of egg cartons and rotten wood which lights easily). Smoke seems to be used as a confidence builder for the beek rather than them having any recognition of what it's actually doing to the colony. (especially when it's used before even opening the hive) The back of a hand or a brush is usually just as effective for moving bees away as smoke.
Puffing smoke makes them gorge on nectar and their full honey stomach makes them less able to bend to sting. Ok, but you will now have diverted their attention away from their normal activity and made them prepare for leaving the hive (why else would they gorge on nectar when there's the perceived threat of fire?) If the hive is calm and occupied with work, then I prefer to let them get on with what they're doing while I do what I need to do. No need for hive evacuation alerts or preparations.
One of the hives I was given last year was described to me as being "an aggressive and nasty colony". I have only been stung once, and that was when collecting that hive. It still has the same queen, from what I saw in hindsight it's obvious to me that it was the previous beek who agitated the bees by not being calm with them.
To summarise, treat bees like you would a first date for a long relationship.
Soft and gentle will get you everywhere and you'll enjoy it more, quick and clumsy might get you get in and out but it's usually not sustainable.
(ps) and if a relationship doesn't work, it's always easier to blame the other side!
