Smokers and poultry feathers.

[huntsman666]

According to Clive de Bruyn, poultry feathers added to the smoker material produces hydrogen sulphide which he claims calms the bees.

Anyone every try this for when the girls are extra 'narky'?

 

[user 382]

Although I've not tried it, I personally wouldn't want to be upwind of a smoker belching out hydrogen sulphide as it's a poisonous gas that stinks of rotten eggs.

 

[oliver90owner]

stinks of rotten eggs.

No problem. While you can smell the trace concentration, you are OK. It is at higher concentrations that it is fatal in a very short time, leaving severe brain damage at level below the lethal dose. The different levels are probably a factor of a million or more, so smell is not really a measure of toxicity, apart from 'if you can smell it' it is at a safe level.

Unknown origins for 'almond smell' are much more of a warning. If you get to the door (fresh air), it was nitro-benzene; if not, it was cyanide.

RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

my Grandfather always used Lavender ,in his smoker to calm bees, but burnt feathers, no,sorry, even if it worked i would not want to use it

 

[Black Comb]

Have you smelled (smelt?)burning poultry feathers?

 

[huntsman666]

I don't think Bruyn was talking about burning only feathers.

If using corrugated paper, perhaps a few flight/tail feathers trapped vertically as it's rolled might do the trick.

 

[drstitson]

"Unknown origins for 'almond smell' are much more of a warning. If you get to the door (fresh air), it was nitro-benzene; if not, it was cyanide."

or the missus has smashed a bottle of Amaretto!!!!

 

[Finman]

.
Is the burning feather better than chloroform in bee calming?