Floyd, most beekeepers don't directly inhale smoker smoke. (Unless perhaps we use the European smoker that you have to hold between your teeth....and that's not most of us). So, the tobacco industry and its critics would call us "secondary smokers".  Wikipedia has a lot to say on this.  My dad blames secondary smoke on the esophageal cancer that took my grandfather's life...he was a beekeeper for 70 years, and never used tobacco recreationally.  Personally, I cannot say one way or the other whether secondary smoke is as bad as primary smoke.


However we are all beekeepers and we all use smoke.  Rhubarb in smokers is not any more toxic than the generic stuff to generate smoke that we already expose ourselves to.  And bees are smart...unless they are desperate, they avoid things that aren't good for them, meaning protein patties with rhubarb in them will either be ignored, or used.  So...good luck!!!  And I hope you tell us how you fare!!!

Christina

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