Smoker and honey harvest

[beewitch]

Hi all - It was my (maybe erroneous) understanding that when robbing the bees and pulling honey frames, that a smoker should not be used.  I only have 2 hives and previously have just brushed the bees off the frames, placed them into my Merrill box and made a few trips to the house.  But this year I have one very hot hive and don't believe I'll get honey frames pulled without a little smoke to aid me. These girls are aggressive... Is this OK?  And is the reason NOT to use smoke so as not to "flavor" the honey/wax?

Thanks for any advise.  I'll probably be pulling my first frames this weekend.  Woo-hoo!

[Nate]

Use the smoker. I've not had any problems with off flavors in my honey from using the smoker.  I smoke, and then pull each frame, and knock the bees off before putting in a box, perhaps much like you already do.

[indypartridge]

Ditto what Nate said.

[iddee]

ALWAYS use smoke when going into hives. What you have read is, Don't use excessive smoke to remove the bees from the capped honey when harvesting. You should always use smoke to calm the bees before going into the hive for any reason.

[beewitch]

Perfect!  Thanks all.

[Kathyp]

if they are really hot i don't take them frame by frame.  i stack a 2 or 3 supers over an empty bottom board and put a fume board on top.  the bees go out the bottom and you are left with pretty much empty supers.

some people do this on the hives, but it's worked better for me to remove them from the hive.

probably not to efficient if you have tons of supers.......

[BrentX]

I put the supers on end and blow the bees out with a leaf blower. 

I doubt smoke will help them stay calm through this treatment.  Most seem happy to fly back to the hive and don't generally bother with the crazy holding the leaf blower.

[Michael Bush]

I think most of the advice in this regard is because a lot of people oversmoke the bees which could result in smoke flavored honey.  If you light the smoker and blow a puff in the door and one across the top bars it will not be an issue.

[Finski]

don't believe I'll get honey frames pulled without a little smoke to aid me. These girls are aggressive... Is this OK?  And is the reason NOT to use smoke so as not to "flavor" the honey/wax?

Pushing bees out from frames with smoke is not a good idea even if most of beekeeprs do so.
The smoke is tar which condensated onto combs and give bad aroma to the uncapping honey.

You can avoid that with escape board.

This DIY model works fine:

/url]

This plastic model works too
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/gif/escape/8wayescape.gif