No smoke s the way forward!

[beeno]

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

Oh that's good then did not know that. Still time management waste though.

 

[pargyle]

Oh that's good then did not know that. Still time management waste though.

Yes ... if you think about it though ... 20,000 - 50,000 bees sucking nectar/honey out of cellls and then having to regurgitate it and put it back ...

Assuming that it takes them an hour to realise there's not a fire and put it back - so that's potentially 150,000 nectar/pollen gathering flights that have been lost.

Assuming bees fly at 15mph - so that's 50,000 miles of flight and foraging tiime which I understand is what it takes bees to make to make one pound of honey ?

Finman would never tolerate a loss of this size every time he opened a hive - does he use smoke ?

 

[Vramin]

Roger Patterson will disagree -'smoker always lit and between knees' . Don't comply- leave his Assoc.

Whilst I understand his thinking, in that you always have the smoker to hand, the drawback is that you have a constant stream of smoke flowing past your face, and I felt quite queasy after going through a couple of hives.

I only use an occasional puff now. I'm surprised the bees aren't asphyxiated by the amount of smoke some people use.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Finman would never tolerate a loss of this size every time he opened a hive - does he use smoke ?

I don't know - but at times I do wonder what HE is smoking

 

[pargyle]

I don't know - but at times I do wonder what HE is smoking

Try this for size:

http://secure.hospitalityclub.org/hc/forum.php?action=DisplayMessage&StartMessageId=49771

It will explain a lot !

 

[Queens59]

Tried no smoke today and we both got stung many, many times - normally quite placid. We are back to smoke next time ...each time we sprayed they got v v angry

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Whilst I understand his thinking, in that you always have the smoker to hand,

That's fair enough - to hand: but between the legs! it reminds me of that Christmas classic by that great Welsh singer, Nat King Cole

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..........

 

[fiftyjon]

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.

 

[Roger]

I always light the smoker just in case, never smoke the entrance and most times do not use it at all.

 

[davnig]

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.

so is your cover board effectively a series of narrow 2/3 frame width section, trying to picture them - any chance of a picture??

 

[Luminos]

I always light the smoker just in case, never smoke the entrance and most times do not use it at all.

If only to smoke where you get stung

 

[Pete D]

I smoke, just a wisp or 2 across the entrance, normally smoke the hive ahead whilst working on current one. Always at hand for keeping a level of control if required.
Working yesterday on my biggest hive, 10 frames of brood in a 14x12 with 5 supers and you have no choice, each super splits away from the previous leaving exposed runny honey that the bees lap up and wont shift without a puff or 2, its either that or crush them during reassembly. Lifting 2 at a time wasnt possible due to the weight.
This hive has given 140lb already with another 50+ to come this weekend.
To a relative beginner like me a big / strong / full hive can be a bit daunting when compared to the normal 8 - 9 frames in a std brood with a super or 2, so I like to have the smoker as a back up to my confidence.
Last year a normal peaceful hive turned halfway through an inspection and I got 20 odd stings whilst closing up, without a smoker I would of been a lot longer and clumsier.

 

[crazy_bull]

I think a smoker is one of those thing:

To have and not need, is better than too need and not have!


Nothing worse than opening a hive that is tetchy (as even calm bees can have a bad day) and turn to give them a puff and the smoker has gone out.

On a side note:

I picked up a bag of wood chips from the mighty T the other day when converting some foundation and for £3/bag must say it's very nice stuff to have in the smoker, it lit easily and more importantly stayed lit and gave a pleasant cool smoke that didn't sting the eyes when a waft hit them, unlike dried grass that's great to create a smoke screen for a quick get away but is very temperamental at staying alight and is a bit acrid.

C B

 

[pargyle]

so is your cover board effectively a series of narrow 2/3 frame width section, trying to picture them - any chance of a picture??

Yes ..

Here's pictures of hive and original cover/crown boards in place:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24058

What I have done since then is made some more that are 2, 3 & 4 frames wide. I started out the swarm that went in there with just four frames and I've been adding one or two empty frames each week or so and moving the follower/division boards along then using a mixture of different sized crown boards to cover the part of the hive that is in use. I've a couple with feeder holes in them and they have covers that go over the holes.

 

[Bosveldleeu]

I very rarely use smoke, a mist of water does the trick just fine 95% of the time.

 

[davnig]

If only to smoke where you get stung

yep - that!

 

[davnig]

If only to smoke where you get stung

Yes ..

Here's pictures of hive and original cover/crown boards in place:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24058

What I have done since then is made some more that are 2, 3 & 4 frames wide. I started out the swarm that went in there with just four frames and I've been adding one or two empty frames each week or so and moving the follower/division boards along then using a mixture of different sized crown boards to cover the part of the hive that is in use. I've a couple with feeder holes in them and they have covers that go over the holes.

cheers

 

[00jacksonp]

in my opinion i think it is total down to the nature of the strain of bee you are working with and their temperament.
my best hive is full of nasty little buggers but they work real hard.
about a month ago i forgot the smoker and I got abused .
pretty quick get away with my tail between my legs.
some I would happily inspect without.
Also, If a smokers were bad for production i don't think they would have been used for as long as they have.

 

[madasafish]

Hmm - or common sense it seems

Typical : trust a Welshman to truncate a quote and be sarcastic

I did preface that remark with "in this weather.."

I always decried the Welsh education system as inferior to the Scottish one...

 

[Chris Luck]

Is Jenkins Welsh?

Chris