Is smoking bad for my bees?

[Nabber86]

OK I am thouroughly confused. Are we talking about traditional bee smoke fuel (pine needles, burlap, etc.) or the specific use of tabacco as an alternative fuel? I assume the OP was related to smoke in general and it's use on bees.

My apologies to Peaches if she was specifically refering to the use of tobacco as bee smoke fuel.

[WLC]

I think that the OP was confused by what others have said about using a smoker.

I don't think that tobacco is involved with Peaches' post.. As for Dr. Ellis, he's doing work on pesticides in hives. Perhaps he was referring to neonicotinoids?

[Peaches]

[QUOTE=Nabber86;689368]

If somebody makes a highly dubious claim like nicotine is commonly present in smoker fuel (other than tobacco) and uses a fallacious argument (appeal to authority)* to back it up, I call BS. Simple as that.

I'm not sure what "fallacious argument" means, but before you say it is BS, go to the quoted source and find out. You cannot say nay if you don't check.

[WLC]

Peaches:

I think that it's great that you're taking the master beekeeper's course.

I must admit that I'm curious about nicotine as a product from smokers.

Do you still have your notes and handouts from the course so that you can give a context for your description?

[Nabber86]

[QUOTE=Peaches;689443]

I'm not sure what "fallacious argument" means, but before you say it is BS, go to the quoted source and find out. You cannot say nay if you don't check.

I went back and re-read the thread and it appears that you may have been refering to tobacco smoke. I really cant tell, but if that was the case, I was wrong and I apologize for my comments.

If however, you are making the claim that all smoker fuels contain nicotine (like the hickory pellets that I use, for instance), that is a highly dubious claim and the burden is on you to support your position with something other than an e-mail address (by the way, an e-mail address is not a "quoted source").

[WLC]

All that I could find was this:

Title The effect of smoke on the volatile characteristics of honey.
Authors Tananaki, C.; Gounari, S.; Thrasyvoulou, A.
Journal Journal of Apicultural Research 2009 Vol. 48 No. 2 pp. 142-144
ISSN0021-8839
DOI 10.3896/IBRA.1.48.2.10


http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20093143286.html

So, at least we know that someone has taken a look at how smoker fuel can affect honey.

I'd have to agree with Nabber, Perhaps you (Peaches) should contact the course instructor or Dr. Ellis (are they one and the same?), and ask for a clarification or at least a reference.

[Peaches]

Here is a small insert from the Honey Bee lab at the Ohio State University.

http://www.honeybeelab.com/2011/03/2...tions-answers/

I am waiting for a reply from Dr. Ellis.

[WLC]

According to the 'Group III. Relatively Nonhazardous: These materials can be applied with little harm to bees. Regardless, follow label instructions.'

Nicotine is relatively nonhazardous.

http://www.honeybeelab.com/wiki/Fact...rom_pesticides

Maybe we'll find out what Dr. Ellis described soon.

[Nabber86]

I thought you said Dr. Ellis was from the University of Florida?

Either way, I would like to hear his input.

[Peaches]

Ok Everybody,

I have to eat Crow and no salt. I apologize to each and every one of you. I was wrong and here is Dr. Jamie Ellis of the University of Florida's answer.
Quote>Hey Peaches,

Good to hear from you and hope you are well. I don't think that smoke coats the antennae. The smoke simply "masks" the alarm pheromone. The best example I have is cologne. We still stink. It's just that the overpowering cologne masks our odor. It's similar for bees. The smoke simply hides the alarm pheromone.

Hope this helps!

Jamie

Jamie Ellis, PhD
Assistant Professor of Entomology
Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory
Department of Entomology and Nematology
University of Florida
Bldg 970 Natural Area Drive
PO Box 110620
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone: (352) 273 3924
Fax: (352) 392 0190
Email: jdellis@ufl.edu
http://www.UFhoneybee.com
http://www.AFBEE.com

I will now shut up and stay in the background for a while.

[Nabber86]

Peaches,

No Crow! The info that you provided by way of Dr. Ellis is very good. There really is no "winners" or "loosers" in a science debate. There is only the data that is provided and we can all advance from there. You provided a direct, creditable reference that is extremly rare on an internet forum.

Thanks.

[snl]

My aunt and I both started beekeeping this year, and we each have "our" expert bee guys that we originally got our bees from and that we get all our info from, and her guy said something interesting -
He said he doesn't actually smoke the bees, he just smokes himself, which makes the bees avoid him. He said if you smoke the bees they will go into the hive and eat honey.
Just curious if this is a kind of fringe idea or if a lot of people do this.

Smoking only hurts the bees if they................inhale!

[EastSideBuzz]

I think in Cali they load that smoker with cannabis leaves and then they get the munchies and eat all the honey.