no smoke without fire!

[rink123]

Hi I have my bees at the bottom of my garden and my neighbours have been trimming all their trees ,they have piled it all into a massive heap ready to burn . The smoke from this will go straight to my hive , how will this effect my bees ? do I need to worry

 

[Silly Bee]

How do you know the smoke will go in your hive?

 

[For want of a better word]

politely ask them to burn it after dark?

 

[rink123]

well I am presuming the smoke will my hive is at the bottom of my garden and the heap of wood is at the bottom of their garden just a wire fence between them, maybe I should have said if the smoke goes to the hive should I be worried
Basically can anyone tell me how the bees would react with large amounts of smoke going in and around the hive
If they burn after dark the bees will be ok then?

 

[Vergilius]

Don't think it will have any effect whatsoever...

Ben P

 

[rink123]

oh ok thank you wasn't sure so better to ask than cry later

 

[Thekayakcoach]

Great question, I've often wondered this myself. Good to hear that people won't think it'll be a problem.

 

[itma]

well I am presuming the smoke will my hive is at the bottom of my garden and the heap of wood is at the bottom of their garden just a wire fence between them, maybe I should have said if the smoke goes to the hive should I be worried
Basically can anyone tell me how the bees would react with large amounts of smoke going in and around the hive
If they burn after dark the bees will be ok then?

Its too close if your hive would be heated by the fire ...
and, especially if your hive is plastic, you really don't want glowing embers falling onto it.

But 'smoke' is what you give the bees with your smoker, and the bees response is to drown their sorrows in honey.
As long as the neighbours aren't burning anything noxious (like plastic or painted wood), there shouldn't be too much problem.

If it is burned when it is cold (or dark), then your bees wouldn't be flying and quite possibly wouldn't notice at all.
Perhaps you could ask the neighbours to choose a day when the wind is blowing away from (rather than towards) your hive?
You have promised them a jar of honey, haven't you?

 

[rink123]

Thanks ,I will go have a chat with the neighbour along with a promise "jar of honey"
It is only tree cuttings that they are going to burn ,just alot of green which is bound to smoke, I was thinking if my bees eat all the honey will they have enough left to see them through till spring

 

[Peter Cox]

Be a good day to visit the hive/s.
No need for you to light your smoker.

 

[rink123]

Be a good day to visit the hive/s.
No need for you to light your smoker.

hehe good idea although up till now I haven't used a smoker ,its only a small colony

 

[eddiespangle]

If there's a breeze the Bernoulli Effect will apply. The air and smoke' speed will be accompanied by a decrease in pressure relative to the internal air pressure of the hive - don't worry!

 

[AnotherNewBee]

My thoughts would be:

a) ask the neighbours to light the fire after around 18:00, not put anything that produces toxic smoke on the fire (could be accompanied by a barbie to make the evening more enjoyable and ensure someone will be keeping an eye on the fire), and,

b) keep an eye on the smoke direction. If there's a lot heading in the direction of the hive block the entrance. I'm thinking that too much smoke may cause the bees to want to leave.

WARNING I'm a newbie so this is more of a 'Would I be doing the right thing when presented with a similar problem?' post, rather than an advice post.

 

[Luminos]

If you have a shredder or chipper, you could offer to lend it, or offer to do it, and use the bark chips as mulch or a path?

 

[Black Comb]

No need to fuss. My neighbour regularly burns his garden rubbish about 3 metres from my hives. No problems.

His "fireplace" was there before my hives appeared.

 

[Cazza]

I'd definately go and see the neighbours and ask them to wait until the wind direction will take the smoke away from your hives if that is possible.

My garden fires are lit about 15 yds from my bees but I wait until the wind is heading in the right direction. This is a bit tricky as that has to be easterly so as not to annoy my neighbours or drift in to the industrial estate next door.

Cazza

 

[VEG]

If all else fails block the bees in and move your hive out of the way until the fire burns down.

 

[rink123]

Ok thank you all for the advise I'm no longer in a big panic

 

[BeeNice]

When you smoke a hive the bees go into swarm/danger mode, once they know that they don't have to leave the hive, I understand that they put back the honey that they don't now need. If that's the case your bees won't use up all their supplies.
Steven

 

[psafloyd]

Thanks ,I will go have a chat with the neighbour along with a promise "jar of honey"
It is only tree cuttings that they are going to burn ,just alot of green which is bound to smoke, I was thinking if my bees eat all the honey will they have enough left to see them through till spring

If a lot of it is green, they shouldn't be burning it as it will be a nuisance to all the neighbours.