Hi All, With regard to the breathing tube idea... I think the idea is to breath in through you nose and out through the tube thus avoiding asphyxiation. So if the bees are effected by the CO2 or any other chemicals in your breath then the tube should work. I suppose a garden hose would do. Not a very expensive piece of equipment if you want to experiment! -- Harry Scotland Knitwear Web pages: http://freespace.virgin.net/luichart.woollens/ Beekeeping Page: http://freespace.virgin.net/luichart.woollens/page8.html