Never heard the "Can't bend to sting" theory.  I was either taught or read way back when that smoke primarily sent the bees into a "Fire! We need to gorge ourselves on honey in case we have to leave!" mode, thus taking their attention off of me, and secondarily masked both their alert/attack pheromones and my "smelly attacking mammal in a bee suit that desperately needs to be washed" scent.

Over the years I've backed way off on smoking (bees, not cigars).  Now, if it's a nice day, and I'm only going to pop lids to do a quick peek down the frames for supering, I don't even fire it up.  Will probably come back to bite (sting?) me in the butt this year.

Bill
Claremont, NH
+43° 21’  -72° 23’ (approx.)

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