Using Smoke

Two Bees · April 15, 2009, 09:27:11 AM

The past 4-5 times that I have been into my hives, I have NOT used any smoke. My bees seem much calmer and just continuing doing what bees do even though I am moving through frames, pulling them out, even gently tapping the frames on the top edge of the hive body to remove some of the bees. Perhaps, I was using too much smoke!

Has anyone else reduced or eliminated using smoke during an inspection?

contactme_11 · April 15, 2009, 10:28:41 AM

I probably only use it about 1 in every 5 times

asprince · April 15, 2009, 10:31:04 AM

Has anyone else reduced or eliminated using smoke during an inspection?

No. I have found that I can work small haves without smoke but my large hives with lots of bees require smoke. If not, they get very mad and attack and keep on attacking until I go far away from the area. When I smoke them, they will calm down.

Steve

KD4MOJ · April 15, 2009, 10:37:49 AM

This same happened to me two weeks ago during an inspection. I was working Hive #2 using smoke and it happened to go out before I went to hive #1. I forgot about it, opened hive1 up, inspected half the top box and realized I hadn't smoked the hive. It was the calmest I have ever seen the hive, really weird. I continued to inspect both boxes with nary a smoke. Could be cause we are in the flow now and they were just busy doing their thing. I only wish hive 2 would calm down a bit.....

...DOUG

Kathyp · April 15, 2009, 11:17:43 AM

most of the time i don't use it. if i am going all the way through the boxes, i'll light it up. i have one hive that gets pretty riled up when i dig around. so....a couple of times a year i use smoke :-)

jdpro5010 · April 15, 2009, 11:21:52 AM

I would not try this in the fall when no flow is going on unless you you like being stung. The hives behavior when they are happy (flow on) is a whole lot different then when there are not any prospects of food coming into the hive. In the spring when everything is looking good as far as food goes can tame even some of the meanest bees. It is when they really want to protect what they have you have to watch out.

tlynn · April 15, 2009, 08:10:26 PM

A couple puffs in the entrances a few minutes before going into the hives and very little smoke when in the hives seems to work best for me. I have found smoking them when I am inside the hives gets them airborne and more sting prone, especially if the hive is large. I have not tried no smoke at all.

Michael Bush · April 15, 2009, 11:06:50 PM

Since I'm always looking for queens because of queen rearing, I seldom use any smoke. But if a hive is at all testy I use a puff or two. The main secrets to smoke are:

Use only cool smoke.

Use the minimum amount to get the reaction you want, which is usually just to keep them calm. Too much will upset them.

johnnybigfish · April 15, 2009, 11:20:38 PM

I hardly ever smoke...But,I do know that it can make a big difference...I have 2 hives what are stingers, even when I feed them, But I just deal with the stings, usually I can get away pretty quick. But, if I open boxes, that have the meaner bees, I'll smoke...some of the other hives dont need smoking, even when I'm digging around in there!
I think my hives may have gotten hotter because I have a new dog who constantly points into the wood/limb pile behind my hives..he gets hopping around alot till he points and I think the bees dont like it.Paul sometimes helps me with my bees...But, dang....if he uses the smoker, he has to be told to quit!!!! he chokes me with the smoke, and makes my eyes burn to where I cant see, not to mention how the bees probably feel about it! I think, in this case, the bees dont sting me cuz they cant see me thru the smoke screen all over the place!
I mean, REALLY!!...If its not windy, my land looks like its on fire!

your friend,
john

Two Bees · April 16, 2009, 08:53:42 AM

I agree, Johnny! Sometimes the breeze just will not let me put smoke where I need it. It always ends up back in my face.

JP · April 16, 2009, 09:23:56 AM

One must always have the smoker nearby in the bee yard. I always smoke mine before entering.

...JP

dpence · April 16, 2009, 07:49:02 PM

I use smoke sparingly, again as mentioned it depends on the season. Fall most definitely. I have also found that waiting a few moments after puffing a couple in the entrance, seems to work best for me. I have enough hives that picking a sunny warm day for inspections is not always the situation. Just my .02

David

hankdog1 · April 16, 2009, 08:47:28 PM

i always give a couple of puffs. if it isn't enough i'll give another puff of too the point is to keep them calm not give them the idea that thier hive is on fire and need to get out ASAP.

troutstalker2 · April 16, 2009, 09:30:59 PM

I find a small amount seems to help. I have been dealing with a hot hive that requeened a couple of days ago and smoke does not improve the temperament of those little darlings.

David

bailey · April 16, 2009, 09:51:46 PM

when you need smoke and dont use it you will know!
once you have that experience you smoke them all as a precaution.
bailey

steveouk · April 16, 2009, 10:24:06 PM

i position the smoker so it gently goes across the hive i never puff it these days. found to many puff's jsut makes them hotter

Brian D. Bray · April 17, 2009, 01:03:18 AM

I quit smoking back in 1975, was my Christmas present to my wife.

As for the bees, I always light my smoker and have it on smoldering standby anytime I go into a hive. Sometimes I can go through the whole yard without using it once, other times I use it often. It depends on a lot of things: foremost is weather, time of day, ands works it's way down to how hard you had been working before you started on the bees (BO), and even what you had for your last meal....Banana's anyone?

At the moment I have 3 hives but come the 25th I get 2 more packages. Come June I'll do another split. That will put me at 6 plus whatever swarms I get, if any.

RogerB · April 19, 2009, 12:59:37 PM

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was never work bees without a lit smoker and a veil. You don't have to use them but they need to be handy.

Roger

Kathyp · April 19, 2009, 01:07:25 PM

i don't have the patience to deal with the thing most of the time, but i have two hives that i may need to smoke until i get them split. they were nice last year, but testy this year. one is requeened, so it may settle down, but the other really went after me the first time i got into them yesterday.

i smoked everything the first year, and have done less and less since. i do put on the gear since is swell up like a balloon when i get stung. yesterdays stings came from taking my jacket off before i was sure that the bees were off me, and done chasing me. :-) most times i find that having the sugar spray handy is just as good as the smoke, and less disruptive to the bees.

as with most things, i am for doing whatever works for you.

blckoakbees · April 21, 2009, 07:14:10 AM

During the summer when the fire danger is high, I use a spray bottle with water and the smoke liquid you get for BBQ. I was told this trick by Bee Expert at UC Davis and it seems to work. I have gone into a hive without smoke or the spray bottle and really regretted it. I did it thinking it would save time and did not.

Hope this is helpful for people in warm climates.