Thanks for the information, Stan.  Of the explanations for why the European
honey bee changes its behavior as it does in response to smoke, the "relic
behavior" hypothesis can be legitimately argued.


Randy
 
I have seen EHB bees wait till the last minute before leaving when a fire goes through a yard.  

But, they will leave, if necessary.

Here in MT, every few years, we get a bad fire season. You've seen our valley.  On worst days, you can stand on the campus  and not be able to see Mt Sentinel!  On those days, the bees stay home, barely fly.  Like the humans who stay home from work when a fire threatens their home, the bees stay home too.   If the smoke hangs in for more than a day or two, the bees get down right cranky.

Jerry

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