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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Yoonytoons <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 5 Mar 2003 19:05:48 -0500
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Ahoy, Bob!

I could not agree more with you, our wise and experienced friend from
Missouri.  [Since I am being nice to you, Bob, will you let me sample a
jar of amaranth honey?]

I do use my smoker—-I inherited as many as five of them, of varying lung-
capacity—-but that’s rare, such as when I remove walled or tree colonies,
or having to do any open surgery, such as making splits, going at the
heart of a colony.  Even when I do use my smoker, doing these chores, I
smoke lightly to enhance the visibility of the queen.

Most of the time, though, I often find myself vain enough to *think* that
I can read the mood of my bees; therefore, I shift from no smoke at all to
a water sprayer, my smoker tucked away in the back of my pickup box, just
in case.  Most of the time, my water sprayer-bottle is my main shield of
defense, though.  Using the foam pad and a five-dollar leaf-blower I
bought at a garage sale, for me, makes the smoker obsolete, even when
taking honey--as far as you know what you are doing, such as weather,
temperature, nectar flow, etc.

However, I must agree with Rev. Langstroth that “Veil is the cheapest
protection for a beekeeper,” and now with Bob that bee-suit and a lit
smoker, along with the veil, offer the best protection—-given so many
unforeseen variables, such as overnight pest-harassment on our bees,
possible AHB encounters in Oklahoma in the future, and an unusually
aggressive batch of bees from the same and previously gentle queen.


Yoon

from People's Republic of Oklahoma

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