powdered sugar ? ?

[MikeyN.C.]

Had another beek tell me that using PS helps calm the bees,is this true,and how much ? ?

[AR Beekeeper]

If you are talking about powdered sugar to replace a smoker when doing an inspection, the answer is no.  The bees usually pay no attention to the beekeeper because the frames, bees, and hive body is covered in sugar dust.  It takes about 12 to 24 hours for the bees to clean the residue from all the surfaces and this would be much more disruption than using a smoker which usually will disturb my colonies for 15 minutes to an hour.

[Michael Bush]

When I've seen powdered sugar used it upset the bees, it did not calm them... but then they weren't trying to calm them, they were trying to dislodge the Varroa... still they were very unhappy...

[flyboy]

That is one possibility when placing the bees in a place where the fire hazard precludes using a smoker.

[MikeyN.C.]

Thanks for replys,i don't think he knew why either