Smoking bees

[victor meldrew]

I think it is worth mentioning the reasons smoke is used (or to hand) when inspecting - how it works - for beginners.
As other have mentioned, cool smoke is important otherwise you risk burning (and upsetting?) the bees. The way you puff affects the heat, but another tip is to put some damp grass/green leaves on the top of the wood/fuel - this cools the smoke as it passes through.
Smoke is meant to get the bees on alert to leave the hive - ie it is the first sign of a forest fire for them. In preparation they go down to eat honey - which means less bees "up top" and those which do eat honey are more placid as a result.
The other main reason to have smokers around is to mask alarm pheramones, particularly if you start getting bees stinging - this releases alarm pheramones and calls other guards to sting (and at the same place).
I rarely need to use smoke before opening my hives, mainly use it when reassembling to drive them away from the edges and avoid casualties, but have it on hand if the bees start to get feisty. Im not sure water spray helps with the latter?
Anyhow, thought this would be useful for beginners to be aware - it is good practice to always have a lit smoker even if you dont intend to use it.

Watch the lass on the iwf videos , she takes enormous liberties with her bees whilst wearing no protection but ALWAYS uses her smoker , little and where required
VM

 

[drstitson]

"In dear old oz we use the bark of indigenous trees. I accept that this resource may not be available in the UK."


Last time i looked the UK was fairly well stocked with indigenous trees!!!!!!!

Although the proposed changes to planning law may change that!!!!

 

[Poggle]

I think, in many cases, it is the heat of the smoke that causes the aggravation rather than the fuel used.
Before you smoke the bees, puff some of the smoke onto your bare hand - if it's too hot for you then it's definitely too hot for the bees.

I only ever use rotten wood or hay in my smoker.

I made that mistake ONCE only with my first hive!!! Bloody hell did they come out at me!!! Only took me a few seconds to realise my mistake and the smoker went out of the way for the rest of the inspection. I then decided that the smoker wasn't really needed if I went slow and careful BUT, keep it ready with the water sprayer in the Polytunnel incase a quick puff of "cold" smoke was needed.

John

 

[kazmcc]

I think one of the reasons I don't like smoke is because when I was taught in the beginning, our mentor never used it. He never taught me to use one so I looked into it earlier this year and asked for advice as I am starting to take people in who have no experience of bees. That smokey honey I was given is always there at the back of my mind too lol.
I use a mixture of dried leaves ( birch, horse chestnut, oak, sycamore just ones I find on the path on the way to school through the park ) that I leave to dry in the shed, and straw that came with the veg plants I used at school, started off with newpaper. I tried cardboard once or twice but the smoke felt too hot even though it stayed lit while I worked. I stick on my trousers, light the smoker, wait until the fuel is smoldering and feels cool, stick my suit on, give them a waft at the entrance, crack the CB two small puffs on opposite corners, then back out. Get the rest of the bumf together, gloves, equipment needed for that session, quick recap of what we are there to do, ask someone to keep the smoker going ( which they never do btw, too busy watching what I'm doing and they forget ) then in we go. I am very lucky that they are good bees and don't give me much hassle usually but when I smoked them they were livid! The calmed down a little after the initial puffs, then as I got nearer to the frame I suspect Madge was on they got a bit lively, so i gave them another little puff and the noise level went up as the smoke hit them. I know it wasn't hot as I check that, like greatbritishhoney recommended. It may have been you who advised me of this earlier in the year. I am also very careful about how much smoke I give them, especially after tasting that honey that was tainted with smoke. Maybe I'm not giving them enough! I don't know.
Can anyone advise me where and if I am going wrong with my method. I wish I had been taught this stuff now, but saying that, think I've done pretty well with them so far without it. My worry is I won't always be so lucky with my queens and may well need this skill and can't get to the assoc meetings.

 

[Skyhook]

I find I'm smoking less and less, as I'm not sure it does much. The ones that are quiet with smoke are quiet without it, and the stroppy ones seem to be made worse!

 

[susbees]

I have been to the UK several times & I have not seen the trees we have here. All I am saying is try to use something from nature rather than cardboard or hessian Yanta

Well, no, that's understandable: different climate, different trees.

Oh and I don't know about your hessian over there, but ours is made from jute/sisal fibres. And it doesn't come much more natural than that.

 

[Swarm]

I found corrugated cardboard just tars up the smoker something terrible and it smells bad as well. Pulp type cardboard like egg boxes and the moulded layers between fruit in fruit boxes smoulders very well and doesn't smell too unpleasant. I used this in combination with hessian packing on top and it gives a cool smoke that is not too thick and the smoker tends to stay alight quite well, I've been adding a middle layer of wood shavings lately.

I waft a puff of smoke under the OMF and then under the CB, I will also do the next hive in preparation. I spend a short while flicking earwigs and woodlice out of the roof and then I remove any supers that are on.
Couple of puffs on the QX if there are loads of bees on it. With more nervous bees I lay the first frame over half the BB and work through the frames; frame to other half to finish. With calmer bees just work through.
Hold smoker back from the hive as you use it, puffs from a distance rather than a direct blast from close up.
Smoke is applied (in an attempt) to move the bees from lugs, they don't always oblige. I never smoke individual frames, blowing on the bees will move them better (but can antagonise if they are that way inclined). Any frames that need shaking, do so into BB before frame is lifted clear, little puff if needed above the BB to help keep them off the wing. Smoke top bars after inspection for clearing brace before reconstructing the hive, this is the best laugh. If your bees are like mine they will be slow to move or just refuse - unless you pump smoke over them, and that's just cruel. So my top bar cleaning is a case of bit here, bit there and VERY CAREFULLY as they leave the gaps, heh.
The change in tone in the BB is fairly normal, the smallest waft of smoke will create a more urgent buzz. When you here them really revving up is the time to think about ending the inspection.

You are not alone in feeling guilty, I know exactly how you feel. When you watch an individual bee running to the hive edge, rubbing it's antennae in obvious distress, it's upsetting.

 

[kazmcc]

Yes, My bees rarely oblige and I have never smoked bees on a frame. I do the quick starting puffs, then tend to leave it at that. As stated already, gentle bees don't need it and I have no experience of demon bees other than when they were given their second ALV treatment last year but I forgave them. I may as well just accept it, I've had no luck with the smoker. I only tried because it's necessary if I want to complete the basic bee exam.

 

[Gardenbees]

I don't like actually "chasing" the bees with puffs of smoke, and rarely use the smoker unless I really need to make sure that the bees avoid a particular area. I do, however, burn a corner of eggbox or loo roll holder, or the plainer sorts of cardboard, just enough to let it smoulder a little, and leave it under the OMF for a few minutes, or even just wave it about a bit. This gets the bees aware that there's smoke about, and preoccupies them with eating honey.

I've found that on a less-than-perfect day (e.g. cold or windy) this helps a great deal if there's no option but to go into the hive. Otherwise, on a good day, I tend to avoid using smoke at all. Of course, this is not going to work with difficult bees, so I would usually make up the smoker in advance just in case, if the temperament of the hive is in doubt. In which case, I tend to use the smoker on myself, rather than the bees: smoke on gloves and bee-suit can help put off any determined offensive by over-zealous guard bees.

What I would really advise against is hot smoker smoke - as mentioned above, the bees really loathe it and can become both agitated and defensive. It also makes the queen run around all over the place.

 

[victor meldrew]

Surprising how long a smoker well packed with screwed up news paper (Not the Daily Mail, that's too badly screwed up)will stay alight
VM

 

[bobster]

FWIW my mentor uses dried grass cuttings. Which is what I now use on the rare occasion I use a smoker.

I also find an old tea towel effective in covering the exposed bars to get the bees to go down.

I have also used a water spray on occasion.

Bobster

 

[kazmcc]

Surprising how long a smoker well packed with screwed up news paper (Not the Daily Mail, that's too badly screwed up)will stay alight
VM

Ooo, now I never thought of paper on it's own. I just assumed it would burn up too quick. saying that I must have only actually lit a smoker less than ten times. Suppose if I'd been unlucky with my bees and my first go at queen rearing, i'd have tried a bit more often

 

[kazmcc]

FWIW my mentor uses dried grass cuttings. Which is what I now use on the rare occasion I use a smoker.

I also find an old tea towel effective in covering the exposed bars to get the bees to go down.

I have also used a water spray on occasion.

Bobster

Seems I'm not alone in being a non smoker haha

 

[psafloyd]

What did you use in the smoker? I think it makes a difference. I tried some western red cedar shavings from my planer and the bees were quite aggressive. I have switched to pine and they are much happier. The WRC smells quite acrid even to me. The pine is much nicer all round.

Paul

I use grass and now again lavender stalks and they far prefer them to cardboard.

 

[dpearce4]

Working with my father for many years, I have found that, if smoke is needed, punk wood is best. That is any rotten hard wood and the lighter the better. It tends to give a cool smoke and a slow burn with little or no acrid smell. A short walk through any woods will provide a good supply. Hang up in the shed and your ready to go for next year.

Is that Johnny Rotten or one of the other sex pistols.

 

[rockdoc]

Must be getting old, I missed that one, well done.