MEA McNeil recently asked:

>The New York Times ran a long article 7-3--02, D1, on John Miller of Miller
>Honey Farms in Gackle, ND, a migratory beekeeper and large honey producer.
>Is it true, as the article states, that the way smoke works is that it
"disrupts the pheromones in the hive"

Peter Borst replied, in part:

My own theory, developed over almost 30 years of beekeeping, is this:
ordinary smoke intoxicates honey bees. They exhibit symptoms very similar to
intoxication in animals: dulled responses, delayed reaction time, etc. I
believe the gorging is a result of lowered inhibition.

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    My experience indicates that smoke momentarily dulls the senses of
guard bees.  I even had similar success with a yellow jacket wasp
colony.  However, smoke seemed to have no effect whatever on Santa
Cruz Island honey bees.

    Be sure to read James Fischer's excellent article, "Blowin' Smoke"
in the August issue of BEE CULTURE.

                                                Adrian


--
Adrian M. Wenner                (805) 963-8508 (home office phone)
967 Garcia Road                 [log in to unmask]
Santa Barbara, CA  93103        www.beesource.com/pov/wenner/index.htm

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*    "T'is the majority [...that] prevails.  Assent, and you are sane
*       Demur, you're straightway dangerous, and handled with a chain."
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*                                    Emily Dickinson, 1862
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