No smoke s the way forward!

[beezers]

Personally, I've rather taken to using a mist of water.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This year I found a fallen tree and am using chunks of dry, rotten wood as smoker fuel. It doesn't produce the clouds of acrid smoke like cardboard does, just a diffuse whiff. Might just be coincidence, but my bees are far calmer. It's much more pleasant for humans too!

And (must be the Cardiganshire genes showing out) it's free!

 

[Alabamaeee]

This year I found a fallen tree and am using chunks of dry, rotten wood as smoker fuel. It doesn't produce the clouds of acrid smoke like cardboard does, just a diffuse whiff. Might just be coincidence, but my bees are far calmer. It's much more pleasant for humans too!

I have used rotten wood now for two year sand it is without doubt the best fuel I have tried. As long as it crumbles easily in your hand it will burn superbly and is easy lit.

Worst in my opinion was cardboard plus a lot of cardboard contains chemicals.

 

[Chris Luck]

Wormwood and lavender pellets, spare no expense here, I have to breath it as well.

Chris

 

[Tabby15]

Just did inspection of hives and having read thread and despite being a newbee decided to try no smoke. Hive one fine. Just congratulating ourselves on frame 10 of second hive on getting both done when hubbie got stung and then 10seconds later I did. And I was only observing! Still finished off without smoke. And good news was our new elusive queen is laying.

 

[Flatters]

Coincidentally I used water spray today because I was at my allotment and forgot the smoker. Bees seemed to respond to it well and it was refreshing for me because it was so hot. I may try this for a while and see how it goes. It is less messing around.

 

[alldigging]

Wormwood and lavender pellets, spare no expense here, I have to breath it as well.

Chris

I have lavender stalks to put in my smoker, added a few next time, think I'd like a few more next time to try it again.


The water mister is going to be a must for me in this weather I think.

 

[mbc]

Its all very well using a water mist spray if you think its easier or less stressful for the bees, but if any serious beekeeping is going to go on then I would advise having a smoker going in the background "just in case". If a large colony starts to get out of hand, smoke is very useful in controlling them enough to shut them up and leave in a relatively ok state.

 

[Ben90]

When reassembling hive after inspection how do you clear bees away from edges to avoid crushing?

I've never had any problems using a gentle puff of breath.

 

[peter genders]

I do not know if it has helped but i have about 15 square metres of mint growing in my garden last year after it had gone woody i put it in my cowshed have used to start smoker result calmer bees less stings cannot say for definite it has helped but i am happy with less stings.

 

[Walrus]

When I'm inspecting I puff a little smoke at the entrance of the hive I'm about to open, plus the next 2 hives, so that quite a time has elapsed between smoking & opening. I have found it mostly keeps them calm. If I smoke then open up instantly they can get a bit tetchy.

I have used water spray when installing a package and that worked great.

 

[susbees]

Why on earth do (other) beekeepers smoke the entrance sending the bees upwards...just to smoke them back down again from the top....

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Why on earth do (other) beekeepers smoke the entrance sending the bees upwards...just to smoke them back down again from the top....

According to one of our trainers only a light wisp of smoke at the entrance is sufficient to alert the bees to a possible need to evacuate the hive so they go in and fill up with food. This distends their abdomens similar to swarm preparation and makes them heavy and slow with reluctance to sting. It does not need the hive flooding with smoke.
Close contact with smoke causes bees to retreat as in getting the frame tops clear to replace QE or crown board but too many beeks smother everything in smoke and create alarm amongst the bees.
My brief experience so far agrees with his teachings.
I use dry conifer prunings as smoker fuel

 

[madasafish]

Always light a smoker. Only have to use it on Q- colonies and aggressive hives which are requeened.

In this weather, no smoke needed, nor veils, gloves, wellies or suit.

 

[beeno]

According to one of our trainers only a light wisp of smoke at the entrance is sufficient to alert the bees to a possible need to evacuate the hive so they go in and fill up with food. This distends their abdomens similar to swarm preparation and makes them heavy and slow with reluctance to sting. It does not need the hive flooding with smoke.
Close contact with smoke causes bees to retreat as in getting the frame tops clear to replace QE or crown board but too many beeks smother everything in smoke and create alarm amongst the bees.
My brief experience so far agrees with his teachings.
I use dry conifer prunings as smoker fuel

Hi John,
I was taught this too. But I don't want them to fill themselves up with the honey! I have the smoker to hand but generally only use it on my feisty colony as a last resort near the end of the inspection. Had to smoke for someone the other day and caused the bees to release masses of alarm pheromone iso-amylacetate (smells like nailvarnish remover) and they welled out straight for me! Read somewhere that the smoke is supposed to mask the alarm pheromone, but it seemed like it caused it on this occasion. The water spray is essential in this hot weather - for me!

 

[Vramin]

Hi John,
I was taught this too. But I don't want them to fill themselves up with the honey!

But they'll put it back when the threat from fire has gone. They don't consume it, just store it in their crop.

 

[pargyle]

Well... All new for me - but so far have not needed smoke or water spray (although I have both available). They are pretty well mannered. Only inspecting every two weeks as it was a swarm 7 weeks ago but there is now 9 seams of bees in there and I went through every frame on Saturday (started about 1.00pm). By the time I'd finished there were a fair few bees in the air but I put this down to the foragers returning. Mine is a long hive so I can just carefully put the crown boards back in when I've finished and the lid hinges down so easy to shoo any away that are milling about. I think it's about YOUR bees - I can see that some need a bit of encouragement but like everything I do in beekeeping, I think that you should try the least invasive route before resorting to something more aggressive. It might work !

PS: I did get stung but it was my fault, didn't notice a bee sat on my arm and she got caught in the fold of my sleeve, she let me know with a good ping though the cloth and my arm was bare underneath - not a serious sting and I managed to get her back flying without losing any bits !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no smoke needed, nor veils, gloves, wellies or suit.

Hmm - or common sense it seems

 

[Heather]

Hallelujah - some coming round to saying we don't need smoke.. Roger Patterson will disagree -'smoker always lit and between knees' . Don't comply- leave his Assoc.. Well- at 5'2" -bugger that one- have more respect for my anatomy... and my bees.

I ONLY use smoke if hive being evil, aggressive.

I use a cover cloth- 2 clean for each hive. When hive opened, lay the cloth over the brood box, wait a second- all bees gone back to work. Gently fold the cloth to expose a frame- when half way, use the second to cover the inspected - and keep progressing.
To replace the cover board, cover the box with the cloth - wait 5 seconds, whip off and put cover board on - all bees in frames.

When you guff with smoke the bees immediately start to eat the honey- in case they need to exit fast (fire), so undoing all work in previous 24 hrs. Using the cloths they just continue to work as normal.

 

[pargyle]

Hallelujah - some coming round to saying we don't need smoke.. Roger Patterson will disagree -'smoker always lit and between knees' . Don't comply- leave his Assoc.. Well- at 5'2" -bugger that one- have more respect for my anatomy... and my bees.

I ONLY use smoke if hive being evil, aggressive.

I use a cover cloth- 2 clean for each hive. When hive opened, lay the cloth over the brood box, wait a second- all bees gone back to work. Gently fold the cloth to expose a frame- when half way, use the second to cover the inspected - and keep progressing.
To replace the cover board, cover the box with the cloth - wait 5 seconds, whip off and put cover board on - all bees in frames.

When you guff with smoke the bees immediately start to eat the honey- in case they need to exit fast (fire), so undoing all work in previous 24 hrs. Using the cloths they just continue to work as normal.

This is how I do it as well but I have crown boards in segments so just lift up the bits I need to see the frames underneath - 2 or 3 at a time ... works a treat. I have a cover cloth as well but haven't needed to use it so far.