Tobacco smoke

[oxnatbees]

I am reading Mysteries of Beekeeping Explained by Moses Quimby, published in 1853.

Lots of fun stuff. He comments in passing that "the secret to getting no stings is tobacco smoke". He kept a lot of hives and is credited with inventing the bellows smoker, so I'm going to assume this observation is sound, although it may be more to do with being an experienced beekeeper. However, this got me wondering about whether tobacco is worth using as a smoker fuel.

Searching this forum, I see a few threads mentioning that it is a mild acaricide, but others warning about its toxicity (nicotine). I am pretty sure it is not a normal smoker fuel - well, it's quite expensive. Does anyone know if it is particularly calming for bees, or was it more likely just that for an American in 1853, tobacco was a cheap source of slow burning smoker fuel with no greater calming effect than other fuels?

I have seen videos of old beekeepers using pipes or cigars and no masks, so it obviously helps mask our own smell too.

Thanks in advance for your views...

 

[Apple]

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

well with todays duty rate for 'heating' tobacco being £251.60 per kilo, and keeping in mind all the bunkum put out about bees, smoke and the forest fire myth I think I will be giving it a miss

 

[Curly green finger's]

In aus some beeks use tabacco to kill Braula.
My grandad always use to use his pipe to smoke the bees he also never used a vail..
Debatable about different smoker fuels having different effects ie masking your scent
I have a really good supply of lavender and use this souly now.

 

[Murox]

The only smoker my grandfather ever had was a lit cigarette. As a child in short trousers and him with no veil or gloves we were seldom stung. I recall that if you use too much tobacco smoke the bees will get quite disoriented for a while. I followed his example for a long time using both a pipe and cigarettes.. Nicotine is an insecticide - do some “googling” and decide what's right for your bees.

 

[boywonder]

I think it is widely used in Germany... most of the beekeeping suppliers there sell it (e.g. Reiner Bienentabak, ca. 600 g Beutel, grob für Smoker - Shop-Bienenweber) .... I have been curious to understand if this is some anachronism, or whether there is a sound reason (which it sounds like there is, if getting bees stoned is your thing).

 

[victor meldrew]

I am reading Mysteries of Beekeeping Explained by Moses Quimby, published in 1853.

Lots of fun stuff. He comments in passing that "the secret to getting no stings is tobacco smoke". He kept a lot of hives and is credited with inventing the bellows smoker, so I'm going to assume this observation is sound, although it may be more to do with being an experienced beekeeper. However, this got me wondering about whether tobacco is worth using as a smoker fuel.

Searching this forum, I see a few threads mentioning that it is a mild acaricide, but others warning about its toxicity (nicotine). I am pretty sure it is not a normal smoker fuel - well, it's quite expensive. Does anyone know if it is particularly calming for bees, or was it more likely just that for an American in 1853, tobacco was a cheap source of slow burning smoker fuel with no greater calming effect than other fuels?

I have seen videos of old beekeepers using pipes or cigars and no masks, so it obviously helps mask our own smell too.

Thanks in advance for your views...

Before Varroa , the inspectorate demonstrated the use of tobacco in a smoker to detect varroa .
At our club he selected a hive and slid a sheet of paper through the hive entrance .
He placed a measured amount of tobacco in to a small wire cage which he hung in the smoker . He lit the smoker and puffed a good amount of tobacco smoke into the entrance which he duly blocked for 3 or 4 mins .
mins, on opening the hive , the whole colony was in a heap on the floor .
Fortunately, they did recover !
We didn’t find a single mite.
this was pre 1992 !

 

[ldwgs]

I am reading Mysteries of Beekeeping Explained by Moses Quimby, published in 1853.

Lots of fun stuff. He comments in passing that "the secret to getting no stings is tobacco smoke". He kept a lot of hives and is credited with inventing the bellows smoker, so I'm going to assume this observation is sound, although it may be more to do with being an experienced beekeeper. However, this got me wondering about whether tobacco is worth using as a smoker fuel.

Searching this forum, I see a few threads mentioning that it is a mild acaricide, but others warning about its toxicity (nicotine). I am pretty sure it is not a normal smoker fuel - well, it's quite expensive. Does anyone know if it is particularly calming for bees, or was it more likely just that for an American in 1853, tobacco was a cheap source of slow burning smoker fuel with no greater calming effect than other fuels?

I have seen videos of old beekeepers using pipes or cigars and no masks, so it obviously helps mask our own smell too.

Thanks in advance for your views...

In the more than honey film, it showed a noted Queen rearer from, I think, Switzerland, a wonderful elderly lady, who did't wear a suit just puffed on an extremely large fat cigar! when dealing with her Queens. I was told cigarettes annoy Bees and makes them stroppy.

 

[P6TE]

In aus some beeks use tabacco to kill Braula.
My grandad always use to use his pipe to smoke the bees he also never used a vail..
Debatable about different smoker fuels having different effects ie masking your scent
I have a really good supply of lavender and use this souly now.

Before Varroa was present in the UK we did on occasion have Braula in our hives. From memory Braula were more of an irritant than a threat to the bees and I can remember adding tobacco to the ashes of my smoker and then smoke the bees reasonably heavily and it killed the braula. Since the arrival of Varroa, the treatments we apply seems to have eradicated Braula as far as I’m aware.

 

[Heather]

have you tried 'no smoke'.
If you use 2 cover cloths per hive, keeping bees in the dark as you progress across there should be no need. I never understand why people say 'a few puffs in the entrance to let them know you are here' .. where do bees go.. Up.. where do you open ... at top.. hello disturbed bees..

 

[Curly green finger's]

Before Varroa was present in the UK we did on occasion have Braula in our hives. From memory Braula were more of an irritant than a threat to the bees and I can remember adding tobacco to the ashes of my smoker and then smoke the bees reasonably heavily and it killed the braula. Since the arrival of Varroa, the treatments we apply seems to have eradicated Braula as far as I’m aware.

That's what I believe to I've never heard of it being a problem in the UK.
As you said the use of varroa treatments and thymol in general has all but aradicated it.
A treatment I don't like is thymol.. The temps have to be right and if there's fluctuations then it doesn't work properly I'm mainly talking about api life var.
I also don't use thymollated syrup its something I've never used or ever will.

 

[Curly green finger's]

have you tried 'no smoke'.
If you use 2 cover cloths per hive, keeping bees in the dark as you progress across there should be no need. I never understand why people say 'a few puffs in the entrance to let them know you are here' .. where do bees go.. Up.. where do you open ... at top.. hello disturbed bees..

I do use a spray bottle and hive cloth but when your going through a big colony smoke does keep them busy for a bit..
Aldepends on what you are doing in the hive.
Smoke in the entrance I can remember being shown that some people still do it untill you explain why it's a bad idea

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

have you tried 'no smoke'.
If you use 2 cover cloths per hive, keeping bees in the dark as you progress across there should be no need.

I seldom use any smoke - don't bother faffing around with cloths either

 

[Finman]

1853 bees must be more vivid than in these days. Buy calm queens if hives attack on you.

In these days tobacco is really expencive to burn in a smoker.

My beekeeping teacher kept allways pipe im his mouth. He got a lung cancer. And the cancer spreaded to his brain

Tobacco would give a special aroma into the honey.

 

[victor meldrew]

Before Varroa was present in the UK we did on occasion have Braula in our hives. From memory Braula were more of an irritant than a threat to the bees and I can remember adding tobacco to the ashes of my smoker and then smoke the bees reasonably heavily and it killed the braula. Since the arrival of Varroa, the treatments we apply seems to have eradicated Braula as far as I’m aware.

Braula could be an unwitting aid to the bees . They tend to clean up food from the Queen .
The more we know about bees the more we realise how little we actually know !

 

[Heather]

I never faff! .. Just lay a cloth on to keep the bees working. But maybe classed as multitasking, my little Welsh friend .
gall menywod ymdopi

 

[oxnatbees]

Thank you everyone, lots of interesting answers

 

[Anthony Appleyard]

I have long known that nicotine is in tobacco and is also in some insecticides.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I have long known that nicotine is in tobacco and is also in some insecticides.

Which is now banned in some instances as it can disorientate bees. (Or worse). Who would have thought it!

 

[Finman]

have you tried 'no smoke'.

Nothing wrong in smoking. I use it if I need it.

Be carefull. If you use too much, bees become uppset and honey takes aroma of chimney.