Do bees realy gorge on honey when smoked?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have often wondered if the reaction of the bees to my smoking of the hive before opening it isn't more along the lines of "Look sharp girls! That nobber's going to take the roof off again!"

 

[victor meldrew]

With black bee mongrels 40 years ago 9 it was important to wait several minutes after smoking, that bees fill them with honey. And it was usual, that you put smoke to entarance too. Then third trick was to keep a dirty clothe above frames, that you may minimize the attacks of bees.

When I look videos, all those tricks are used nowadays even if guys say that they use T shirt and seldom use their smokers.

I just do not believe what guys are talking here.

And the smoker must be the best £ 80 and seldom use it. Best smoker but carbage incinerator.

Difficult to know what is just talk and what is reality.

There used to be videos of a German lass working bees without protection including Queen rearing etc .
howevere she was never without her trusty smoker !

 

[JamezF]

As I said earlier, housekeeping bees (and others) often take a little power nap during the day - they do this head first in an convenient vacant cell.

It's like one of those Japanese hotels

James

 

[Finman]

There used to be videos of a German lass working bees without protection including Queen rearing etc .
howevere she was never without her trusty smoker !

If she had such bees, I did not have.
I work according my situation.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There used to be videos of a German lass working bees without protection

I bet she had the pill though

 

[bobba]

Thanks everyone, I have enjoyed reading all the reply's.

It seems most agree with my observations and have not seen smoke induced gorging. But as always opinions are not unanimous.

The point about the queen not being able to fly without pre-swarm slimming is a great one. But in an emergency she could climb onto a strand of creeper and be carried by a swallow!

 

[JamezF]

But in an emergency she could climb onto a strand of creeper and be carried by a swallow!

African, or European?

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

As I said earlier, housekeeping bees (and others) often take a little power nap during the day - they do this head first in an convenient vacant cell.

Or on the edge of frames

 

[Erichalfbee]

African, or European?

James

African swallows are non migratory .......... so it would have to be European

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, they gorge on honey without the smoke. Once you lift the lid.

If smoked a few minutes before lifting the lid crownboard, more of the bees which might be feisty (and sting) will have consumed some stores, readying for an emergency ‘abscondment’ flight to safety in the case of a forest fire in their natural environment. Smoking, to drive the bees down, is clearly a different situation.

The strain of bee now encountered by most beekeepers is not the same as would be encountered in the eild.

 

[Finman]

The point about the queen not being able to fly without pre-swarm slimming is a great one. But in an emergency she could climb onto a strand of creeper and be carried by a swallow!

Laying queen is able to fly. It depens how fat is. If the wing is cut, then it is sure that it cannot fly.

 

[Sanntos]

There used to be videos of a German lass working bees without protection including Queen rearing etc .
howevere she was never without her trusty smoker !

The videos are from the 1980s, and she is amazing. I am sure no bee ever even knew she was there. And these full supers, it looks like they are empty when she moves them

 

[mbc]

Thanks everyone, I have enjoyed reading all the reply's.

It seems most agree with my observations and have not seen smoke induced gorging. But as always opinions are not unanimous.

The point about the queen not being able to fly without pre-swarm slimming is a great one. But in an emergency she could climb onto a strand of creeper and be carried by a swallow!

For the theory to hold ground it's not really about our bees as such, but a lingering species memory of times when they're ancestors lived in environments prone to forest fires, bees in many parts of the world are far less attached to their nests than ours now, almost nomadic following the flows in some places. Queens from such bees must be far readier to fly at a moments notice than ours

 

[Finman]

I remember time when stinging bees hit into wrists, to the edge of slieve. They do no do that amy more. They liked to come inside slieves and bited skin there. But not any more.

Bee breeding has done its duty. Smoking arms in these cases was very important. Often I had a water bucket with me that I can wash poison odor from my hands.
I accepted 20 stings per colony, but after that I killed the queen. .... that was about 25 years ago.

Actually bee breeding has got continuously lots of achievements. The habits to use smoker like in old days have totally changed.

 

[Finman]

The videos are from the 1980s, and she is amazing. I am sure no bee ever even knew she was there. And these full supers, it looks like they are empty when she moves them

Why not to protect yourself

I have catched swarms without a shirt. But it makes no sense. And I can open the the hive without protection. But it makes no sense. If I shake a swarm from a tree, it is better to have shirt and hood.

Bees land to my skin, and it tickles. They will be squeezed between my chest and arms. I can pour water onto my shirt and it cools me in hot day.

How many bees have given a sting to my nostril, when I blow out via nose.

Just unpractical game to work without clothes and hat.

And if I do not have a smoker with me, I return home to pick it. It is very slow to work without protection.

Bees are nothing angels.

 

[Sanntos]

.....
Bees are nothing angels.

I used to skip the jacket when I did smaller tasks or inspections, but I had a scary experience that changed that. I opened a hive and they immediately attacked me, without any warning at all, and all at once as it seemed. It was not in the evening, and I hadn't disturbed them before. It was pure luck that I had the veil on.

 

[mbc]

The videos are from the 1980s, and she is amazing. I am sure no bee ever even knew she was there. And these full supers, it looks like they are empty when she moves them

Totally.
I remember thinking good wife material.

 

[Sanntos]

Totally.
I remember thinking good wife material.

Exactly, like marrying a combination of Mike Palmer and Kate Winslet