Too much smoke?
I'm new to this and apogize in advance for the silly question. Is there such a thing as too much smoke? Or have any of you ever had all the bees flee the hive you're trying to smoke instead of running in and filling up? I was literally covered in bees the last time we opened our hive. Thank goodness for full battle gear!
Re: Too much smoke?
I have never had that experience, but yes, it is possible to use too much smoke. A puff at the entrance, and another under the cover should be sufficient. Having said that, this time of year they may be more aggressive than usual.
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Ralph
Re: Too much smoke?
This video pretty much says it all. Do NOT do what this woman is doing..someone needs to get her as far away from the hive as possible. The man is gently brushing off the bees from capped frames of heony and she's trying to set the world on fire...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RucO...feature=relmfu
"Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in decay".....Krishnamurti
Re: Too much smoke?
Well if those bees don't make it we know what killed them,,,,,,CANCER!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Riskybizz,,get that woman as far away from the hive (any hive) as possible. Just a puff or two in the entrance , one or two under the inner cover and a couple if you see them getting alittle PO'd.
Re: Too much smoke?
well......its thier bees.Originally Posted by Riskybizz
I laughed and laughed. That lady takes the cake.
The hives attitude determines how much smoke I use. I always have the smoker lit on inspection and I hardly ever use it. I have one testy hive that is a super honey producer that I smoke pretty heavy. Most of the time a puff or two will calm down the hive.
The thing about inspection.............the least amount of stress you can put on the bees the better. I almost never to frame by frame inspection. I only do them 1st in the spring and last in the fall. I never inspect them during a honey flow. I believe you lose a good amount to the crop and the hive reorganizes itself. This goes for smoke to. The more you smoke the louder the bees get reacting to the smoke.
Pearl City Apiary Michael and Loucil Bach
Re: Too much smoke?
Smoke appears to work by interrupting the chemical communication system in the hive, particularly the alarm pheromone, amyl acetate. You don't need much, just enough to interfere with the bees odor recognition.
Too much smoke and you will drive the bees right out of the hive, and really crank them off in the process, more so if it's hot, not cool smoke.
Since I don't like to get stung, I give a long, slow puff into the entrance (smoke stays cooler that way) and a whiff under the cover. Wait a minute or so for them to spread it all over the hive, then open up.
After than I will puff some over the frames if they are getting aggressive -- one hive was much crankier than the other this year, first hive pretty much ignored me, the second was always "runny".
Most of the time in the spring you can open up a hive, particularly a new one, with no smoke, no veil, no gloves, and be fine. However, sooner or later you're going to find them in a really bad mood, so I wear a veil and gloves and keep a smoker lit. Works wonders on those occasions where they really don't want you around.
Only stings I got this year were my fault -- squeeze a bee between your belly and a box, you're gonna get stung, ditto for trapping one under the edge of your shorts and then bend your knee.
Peter
Re: Too much smoke?
i think the lady in the video may have been trying to smoke the bees out of the super
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