Very interesting.  Especially when you figure that most hive manipulations
are done (ideally) on a nice warm sunny day.  Or so the books recommend.
Those would be the same days when the bees would get the most work done!
 
I knew an old-timer in NE Massachusetts (some of you out there might
remember the late Owen Haszard) who was firm in his opinion that hive
manipulations ruin the colony morale for a significant time after.  He
figured the effect lasted for days after, even.  He was very
"hands-off"-ish for a hobbiest, and made a point to severely minimize the
number and duration of intrusions into his hives.
 
Do any of the BEE-L crowd NOT use smoke?  Or use sugar-water spray instead?
I seem to recall this topic coming up. How does this fare?  Is it
advisable to add some "flavoring," such as mint or anise?  (Bees are
supposedly very attracted to anise oil aroma.) Anyway, smoke must be
harmful to some degree.  It can be really HOT, too, and we might not be
aware of the heat we are blasting the colony with.  That's one reason I
like straw for smoker fuel, as it smoulders on the cool side.
Unfortunately it doesn't last very long.