Stimuli response question of bee theory

[drmanhadan]

Bees have a natural defensive reaction when detecting carbon dioxide, in which they exit the hive and ready themselves for a defensive attack. Carbon dioxide would signify an intruding animal (and its breath). So, why do they react the exact opposite way when they sense smoke? They retreat into the hive and ready themselves for a relocation; a retreat. If there is a high concentration of CO2 being emitted by the flame, what is the difference in the composition of gases to make them respond differently?

[sqkcrk]

Something which confuses their sense of smell is what I was taught.

[drmanhadan]

Im predicting the traces of carbon monoxide, but I just wanted to see if anybody KNOWS

[sqkcrk]

According to what I just read in the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Beekeeping bees sense humidity changes of 5 to 15%, carbondioxide, pheromones and other things via olfactory sense organs, the antennae. I checked Senses of Honeybees, Smoke, and a couple of other parts of the book, but nothing there mentioned CO2 from smokers.

There was description of honey eating by bees when smoked.

[MichaelShantz]

Put your nose close to your dog's breath, then put your nose close to your smoker output. If you can tell the difference, I'm betting the bees can also. If there is one thing that nature's nervous systems can do far better than computers, it is correlating multivariate sensory input.

[sqkcrk]

Sense of smell in bees is higly developed towards their needs, communication, sensing each other, pheromones, nectar and other things.

[apachechef]

smoke trumps breath

[djdup]

Put your nose close to your dog's breath, then put your nose close to your smoker output. If you can tell the difference, I'm betting the bees can also. Lol... Good Point.