Smoking

[kronkie]

Is there an alternitive to smoking the girls as I am concerned about a spark causing a fire around my hives with this very dry spell we are having.
I think I saw on here some time ago that spraying with water had a reasonable effect on them.
Any ideas please.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I've tried both (smoke and water) and I'm not totally convinved that either of them make a great deal of difference. Have you tried doing without smoke?

 

[Midland Beek]

Liquid bee smoke.

I think using the right type of smoker fuel will make a differnce. As in a type where you are less likely to get the discharge of burning embers.

 

[enrico]

There numerous options but I would never suggest you go without some form of back up. A hive can turn very quickly and if you are trying to put it back together when they want you 'out of it' then you can do a lot of damage! At the very least carry a can of fabri spray. The bees hate it but it works as a last resort. Try spraying the landing stage with a light spray of 1/1 sugar water and then open the hive and spray the top bars with the same. It gives them something to clean up and won't do any harm. You can even spray between frames if they are lively. try not to overdo it though. If you have more than one hive on site it can lead to robbing so bare that in mind. Smoke is the best thing to have as a standby. I put a thread on recently as a tip for new beeks which had some good ideas on smokers and how to use them form replies on the thread. Search for it and read it though for ideas.
Best of luck
E

 

[enrico]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10274
Is the link hopefully!!

 

[Ruth85]

i have used liquid smoke and it seems to work just as well as normal smoke, its great as a back up too if your smoker goes out

 

[psafloyd]

I've tried both (smoke and water) and I'm not totally convinved that either of them make a great deal of difference. Have you tried doing without smoke?

What about smoke ON the water?

 

[Alabamaeee]

Ah..... Free...

Halcyon days

 

[greatbritishhoney]

What about smoke ON the water?

 

[harveyzone]

What about smoke ON the water?

Because he was worried about fire in the sky?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Ah..... Free...

Halcyon days

Deep Purple methinks

 

[Heather]

here I go again.... I don't use smoke- ONLY if they are a real problem would I resort to it.

2 Clean hand towels per hive. As you open the brood box lay the towel across the box to occlude light. As you work across the frames introduce the 2nd towel to cover what you have looked at- bees just carry on working.

Smoke causes disruption to the bees they think a problem- and eat some stores in case they have to leg it... why do that to them?

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Slightly off topic but.... I inspected a rather aggressive colony yesterday evening. I used my smoker but they were pinging my head and followed me about 20 yards too.
However, when I finally disrobed I found no stings in my suit and only three in my gloves ( I usually use nitrile gloves but used my kid gloves for this colony). The point being that perhaps an "aggressive" colony is just doing what it should be doing - trying to disuade you from messing with their hive and is not necessarily out to get you.
Disclaimer!! - This is all very well if you have no close neighbours.

 

[kronkie]

Heather, that sounds a good trick, I will give it a try, I presume you use differant Ts on differant hives?
It sure stops me worrying about my original problem.

 

[Heather]

yep I have about 20 small towels and use 2 per hive - it works. Bees are happier,I am sure.

 

[Poly Hive]

I am not going to knock what Heather does as it works for her but the normal method is to use smoke, and if you are concerned about sparks then use your bellows more gently and or lay some fresh grass on top of the smoker material to act as a spark arrestor.

PH

 

[sawdstmakr]

Sounds like you are turning a Langstrouth (how ever it's spelled ) hive into a top bar hive, in reguards to the way they react to being opened up. I will have to try it. Thanks, sounds like as great idea. Jim

 

[dudley]

My stepson uses water with a drop of vinegar and swears by it. I still use a smoker, BUT always fill the lid and spout with fresh thick green grass. I would not want to teach anyone to suck eggs, but for any newbees reading this, it acts as a filter for any embers that may otherwise get puffed out. I was told it was because you didn't want hot ash being puffed onto the bees but I find it keeps the smoke cool as well as helping with the amount of smoke produced.

 

[dudley]

My stepson uses water with a drop of vinegar and swears by it. I still use a smoker, BUT always fill the lid and spout with fresh thick green grass. I would not want to teach anyone to suck eggs, but for any newbees reading this, it acts as a filter for any embers that may otherwise get puffed out. I was told it was because you didn't want hot ash being puffed onto the bees but I find it keeps the smoke cool as well as helping with the amount of smoke produced.

Sorry, was typing this when Poly replied with the same!

 

[Hughesie]

its probably the only part of keeping bees I dont like and that is going home stinking of smoke !

I use the green grass as PH suggests.