Greetings,

The use of smoke as an essential tool for controlling bees has been known
for thousands of years. I think its use must have been discovered by
someone with a very keen sense of observation. Some say the bees, a
forest dwelling creature, are prepare to flee an oncoming fire. Others
suggest it confuses their means of organization. I think it just gets in
their eyes :>) . After all beekeepers are rational people and when asked
why were doing something must give a rational answer.  Science has not
been able to explain this and yet who would not use smoke while working
the bees?

The concept of 'bee space' wasn't discovered in the halls of science by
renown researchers. And it's exact dimension is still argued about by
some today. But could a beekeeper be found who doesn't benefit from that
concept.

Wow, it seems like the more I think about it, the more beekeeping seems
to be an art rather than a science. Much of my beekeeping involves things
that science can't address. Sometimes my intuition serves me better.
Anyone else?

And yes if asked for a reason I'll probably have one that's no better
than anyone else. That is until those with the time, instrumentation and
money probably give me a better reason.

One of the neatest things about beekeeping is that anyone can observe,
experiment, speculate, relate, and find much reward in the process. I
think it's more like the Wright brothers taking their experience and
building upon it. Rather than todays more necessary approach today of
graduating from an engineering school, securing a job and spending years
designing a widget for a gizmo on a plate covering the thing that would
explode on takeoff with the widget. :>)

Best Wishes
Dennis
Wondering what would have happened had those teenage kids not been
teasing the bees in the old bee tree with smoke a thousand years ago. :>)