Quote Originally Posted by Oldtimer View Post
So how is smoke calming to bees? I don't think anybody absolutely knows the answer to that. But a likely theory is that when a hive becomes aggressive they release alarm pheremones. The smoke temporarily blocks these out, the bees think there is no problem.
Oldtimer, this answer comes from a Dr. of Entomology who is the head of the Master Beekeepers program at the University of Florida.

The nicotine in the smoke coats the antennae of the bees. (The antennae is the same as the noses of other animals. The organ that smells odors.) Without the scents or pheromones to guide the bees, they will become confused and eat.

If you smoke yourself, you hide your scent and the bees will ignore you.

Hope this clears up some of the misunderstanding.