Beekeeping Tip #2

Put your smoker in the background. It is not necessary to use smoke every time you inspect your hive. Observe the hives temperament prior to opening. Try using a spray bottle of water or light sugar syrup (cane sugar) if they need to calm a bit. Don’t soak them, just mist. If they seem calm enough leave them alone and get to your inspection.

Honeybees have 110 receptors that become clogged when smoke is used. Some beekeepers smoke these little lovelies, at the door, as they open the lid, as they close and just for lining up to watch the keeper work. Their receptors then take about ten days to clear. How are they supposed to get back to work when they are drugged by smoke? I call this the “pool hall effect”, it just makes you sick walking into a smoke filled _________(pool hall, bar, casino,..).

The next time a visitor comes to your house, screams fire at you and fills your house full of smoke just you try to act like it’s nothing and get back to work.