Smokers

[Swarm]

In a very full hive where you can't see the lugs, frames, etc, I find it easier to give a little puff simply to move the bees to avoid crushing them.

 

[B+.]

In a very full hive where you can't see the lugs, frames, etc, I find it easier to give a little puff simply to move the bees to avoid crushing them.

Just blow lightly on them. They'll move

 

[Antipodes]

Hi Angry,

Can you please explain the use of your clove cloth a little more?

 

[xgeordie]

I do own one. The last time I opened it a field mouse had made its nest in it so I left it be.
I don't use one because as soon as you light it, you've affected their behaviour in ways you can't really understand. How, then, can you determine what is their natural behaviour and how much is due to the effects of the smoke?
I always remember something my wife said as part of a pre-Phd course she did: as soon as you interfere with a scenario (experiment), you become part of it and affect the results.That has always troubled me because even measuring something involves some degree of participation in the event you're measuring.

A bit off topic, but your last sentence reminded me of Jim Al-Khalili's Youtube video describing the "double slit experiment":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9tKncAdlHQ

The results are insane...and a bit disturbing as to what it might mean.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi Angry,

Can you please explain the use of your clove cloth a little more?

I think he means a cover cloth - a piece of faffery consisting of two moveablepieces of weighted canvas joined in the middle by a recangular piece of wire which, when put over an open hive leaves most frames covered but with a 'letterbox created by the wire to lift one frame out - I like to observe all the frames whilst inspecting to note the bees' behaviour so I see them as too much of a fiddle

 

[Angry_Mob]

Hi Angry,

Can you please explain the use of your clove cloth a little more?

I think he means a cover cloth - a piece of faffery consisting of two moveablepieces of weighted canvas joined in the middle by a recangular piece of wire which, when put over an open hive leaves most frames covered but with a 'letterbox created by the wire to lift one frame out - I like to observe all the frames whilst inspecting to note the bees' behaviour so I see them as too much of a fiddle

It's a piece of cloth, I use some muslin cloth. Put in a jar and throw in some clove oil essence. I store it in the jar as well.

When you lay it over the top of the frames the bees dislike the smell and go down into the hive so you have time to set the next box or scrape the burr comb etc. I was also using it on Saturday to clear bees out one half of a BS Honey Bees poly nuc so that I could expand it out to six frames. Also used it to clear bees from underneath a OMF hive etc.

 

[Susan1]

Thank you for all the replies. I was taught about the bees gorging on honey when they smelled the smoke and used it a lot when I started. I did taste smoke in some of the very first honey I managed to extract and I believe that was one of the things that put me off using it.
I do like the idea of a smoker as its one of the quintessential beekeeping items. I sometimes do bee talks in school and children love the smoker. When I first started beekeeping I fancied one of the lovely copper ones but the price soon put me off.
I also like the idea of the clove cloth and the fabric spray in case of emergencies. Will any fabric spray do? I also have been advised to have a spray of sugared water at hand in case I need it and I sometimes use a goose feather rather than a soft brush when I need to move them.
I have been lucky enough not to have had a very angry hive so far.
I like most of you I am sure, I am now the proud owner of a bee shed for all the equipment I have gathered over the years. I love it and have just finished doing a good tidy. Happy beekeeping everyone.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Opening the hive makes the bees dive into the honey
I use a Red Kite feather to dislodge bees from super frames and brood frames that cant be shaken
Never used fabric spray. Some folk unite bees with it
A water spray can be useful but you don’t need sugar in it. Everything just gets stick. Some essential oil can be added. Peppermint is good

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I use a Red Kite feather to dislodge bees from super frames

So do I - but they're a bugger to pluck and taste a bit gamey

 

[B+.]

A bit off topic, but your last sentence reminded me of Jim Al-Khalili's Youtube video describing the "double slit experiment":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9tKncAdlHQ

The results are insane...and a bit disturbing as to what it might mean.

I remember doing the Youngs slits experiment in A'level physics many years ago. I was fine until we studied Atomics. That blew my mind. We had a Phd who delighted in making things unintelligible to us mere A level students.

Apologies all...definitely

 

[Erichalfbee]

So do I - but they're a bugger to pluck and taste a bit gamey

You can’t eat them!
They are your National bird!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You can’t eat them!
They are your National bird!

#

In fact, it is our county bird - the last refuge of the kite was Carmarthenshire, I remember the excitement amongst my father and uncles if, on a daytrip a lone kite was spotted, now, they're more likely to be spotted than buzzards - one regularly hovers over the river bank opposite Brynmair and because of our elevated position, when I sit in the study, it's at eye level

 

[Swarm]

Just blow lightly on them. They'll move

Nope, that's not always the case. Mine are happy to form a black carpet and not really interested in moving. I move them with my fingers but in the end it's just quicker and easier to use a smoker.

 

[pargyle]

#

In fact, it is our county bird - the last refuge of the kite was Carmarthenshire, I remember the excitement amongst my father and uncles if, on a daytrip a lone kite was spotted, now, they're more likely to be spotted than buzzards - one regularly hovers over the river bank opposite Brynmair and because of our elevated position, when I sit in the study, it's at eye level

We've had a pair around us in Fareham for the last two years ... first saw one when it was nest building and landed in the garden and picked up a bit of branch that had come off one of our trees ... Scared me to death ... they are bloody big when you get them close up ! Lovely to see them soaring around on the thermals though .. they nest at the top of one of our conifers which are about 100 years old and getting on for 120 feet high .. I think they pick the tallest trees in the area to nest in (if you can call it a nest ... the remnants blew down last winter and it's just a massive bundle of sticks).

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

first saw one when it was nest building and landed in the garden and picked up a bit of branch that had come off one of our trees ... Scared me to death ... they are bloody big when you get them close up.

Years ago I was fishing our local river, stooped low stalking a trout when one landed a couple of feet from me to take a drink - don't know who had the biggest fright! then about six years ago I was driving in the sticks delivering river rents to some farms, I could see a pair of kites hovering over the road a couple of bends ahead - obviously eyeing up the squirrel I'd attached to the tarmac on my outward trip, I drove around the corner as one of them was going for the nutty snack and it landed on the bonnet of the truck, luckily I was just bimbling about keeping an eye on them.

 

[Show me the honey]

Years ago I was fishing our local river, stooped low stalking a trout when one landed a couple of feet from me to take a drink - don't know who had the biggest fright! then about six years ago I was driving in the sticks delivering river rents to some farms, I could see a pair of kites hovering over the road a couple of bends ahead - obviously eyeing up the squirrel I'd attached to the tarmac on my outward trip, I drove around the corner as one of them was going for the nutty snack and it landed on the bonnet of the truck, luckily I was just bimbling about keeping an eye on them.

I saw a Sparrow hawk take down a wood pigeon out of a tree while we had a bbq on the weekend! I’m sorry that’s the best I got. Amazing to see though

 

[pargyle]

I saw a Sparrow hawk take down a wood pigeon out of a tree while we had a bbq on the weekend! I’m sorry that’s the best I got. Amazing to see though

I wish they would take the wood pigeons in our garden .. we had to stop feeding our birds last year as a sparrow hawk had decided his fast food joint was our brd table but he would only take the small birds. I was told it might be a young one still honing his hunting skills but he was a bloody efficient predat

I moved the bird table from the middle of the lawn to under a tree and it gave them a better chance and less of a target for the sparrow hawk, trouble was ... the grey squirrels could then leap on to it avoiding the squirrel stopping dome on the pole .. you can't win ! ('Er indoors will only let me shoot any rats we get ... anything else is off limits !)

Brilliant to see nature in action but just don't like to see them taking the likes of robins and blue tits.

 

[Antipodes]

We get a White (morph of a Grey) Goshawk here which is the only all white bird of prey in the world. The really fascinating thing is that it pretends to be a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo....it mingles with them and flaps its wings like them too so it can sneak up on its prey.

Here is a photo I took and a link to some info from a birder.


http://donaldknowler.com/newsite/goshawks-get-cocky/

 

[Erichalfbee]

#

In fact, it is our county bird - the last refuge of the kite was Carmarthenshire, I remember the excitement amongst my father and uncles if, on a daytrip a lone kite was spotted, now, they're more likely to be spotted than buzzards - one regularly hovers over the river bank opposite Brynmair and because of our elevated position, when I sit in the study, it's at eye level

Our pair raised three chicks this year.
I feed them on the lawn.
The babies have been honing their diving skills with a few crashes.

Now a white Goshawk must be a wonderful sight

 

[philipm]

Peregrine falcons around here they keep our Magpie population down just wish they would take some of the rabbits.