> I have an off the wall question. Is using smoke in a hive for the benefit of the bees or the beekeeper?

I would say: both. It's like going to the dentist. You benefit from the novocaine in that it doesn't hurt so much and the dentist benefits because you tend to be more patient and less squirmy than you would be. 

Beginners often use too little smoke. We old timers like to see the smoke billowing. Of course, it is possible to overdo it. You don't want the bees knocked out for hours, that could render them vulnerable.

Careful use of smoke as well as slow, easy motions and the avoidance of banging or thumping the hive, is what works best. No jerks in the bee yard! Someone said there are two ways to work bees: really slowly or really quickly. The idea is not to get them riled up. 

PLB

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