Sorry about the last post (Re: Foul Brood) -- it got away before it was finished, hence the non-sentance at the end, and a perhaps unfinished train of thought. Oh well... Anyhow here is something I just posted on sci.ag.beesomething Since it is of perennial interest and I put some work into it, I offer it here. Comments and additions are, of course welcome. >I have a very agressive hive and last time I checked it I was stung many >times and passed out from 50+ stings. I have to re queen in October and am >not looking forward to opening the hive.. of course i will put heavier >clothes on this time but if anyone has any ideas .. pls. > If you have other hives in the group, just wait until a flow is on -- bees are flying freely and fast in and out, and move the whole hive 20 feet away (and turn it around 180 degrees too, if you like). Most of the mean bees will drift into the other hives and you will easily find the queen and be able to replace her. The bees will add to the other hives and continue to make honey, so nothing will be lost, and the hive will soon have more bees from the emerging brood. Otherwise (no flow, no other hives) just add a tablespoon of 34-0-0 fertilizer on top of the fire smouldering in your smoker and go to work. The resulting laughing gas will make them better humoured -- seriously. BTW, many (most) beekeepers don't know how to use a smoker properly. Here's a recap: * Use a fuel that smoulders and gives lots of cool dense smoke. Burlap is easily available. A roll of cardboard will do fine too. * Hold your bare hand in front of the smoker and puff. If it burns you, it will not calm your bees. Add damp burlap if the fire is too hot. * Once the smoker is going properly, squeeze it gently while moving the spout evenly and slowly across the entire entrance slit. * Wait for the bees to start fanning (30 seconds). * Repeat several times at 30 second intervals if the bees are likely to be mean. * The bees will attempt to change the airflow to avoid the smoke, so be sure to smoke any other holes or entrances the same way. * Watch how the smoke is being exhausted form the hive. Look for the air intake point -- it is the most effective place to use a puff of dense smoke. * Quit if the bees start to run wildly around -- You've overdone it. The idea is to get the bees circulating air, then use their currents to carry smoke to the whole hive. Do not oversmoke. A little goes a long ways. The idea is to confuse the bees a bit and mask pheremones, not to burn their wings off, or set them to running. Once the hive is open, and if you are anticipating resistance, smoke the top and bottom on each box as it is exposed, making sure that the smoke actually goes into the box. If the wind is wrong, the smoke will merely be blown over the top. MAke the wind work for you. Re-smoke each exposed box every few minutes if the bees appear to be reorganising. Stand boxes you are not working on on their *ends*, it disorganises the bees, and makes smoking easier. *Do not use any more smoke than necessary*. The instructions above are for thorough smoking in difficult circumstances. Often little or no smoke is required -- especially if hives are small and the bees are well fed. Regards Allen W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask] Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>