> 1. How do bees identify an attack target, by movement, proximity, color, shape
   ,
>    or thermal characteristics?
 
A standard assay for bee aggressiveness involves white cardboard placards
with black circles - there is an optimal-sized circle as far as
evoking a response goes, and it suggests that a dark object with high
contrast in a certain size range (especially one in motion) is the
most likely to elicit attacks. That's why light colors are preferrable
when working with bees, essentially.
 
> 2. Are there any known colors or patterns which either repulse, soothe (as
>    opposed to attract for feeding), or anger bees?
 
Other than dark vs. light hues, I'm not so sure. Many color responses
(such as proboscis extension) are context-specific, not generalized,
to the best of my knowledge.
 
> 3. During a bee attack on a person wearing a protective net, do the bees
>    attack the net or try to penetrate it so as to reach the person underneath?
 
I've only seen them go after the net with their mandibles.
 
> 4. Why does the smoke soothe bees and would it work during a concentrated bee
>    attack in a location other than the hive?
 
The story I've heard is that smoke replicates conditions found during
brush fires - under natural conditions, after all, that's the only
time bees would ever encounter smoke, and it represents a threat to
the hive - therefore, the bees presumably have evolved a response
which takes priority over all other "defensive" behaviors, and that is
to drop what they're doing, tank up on honey, and get ready to flee. I
suspect that only bees in a hive will respond this way, as it's
context-specific...perhaps the term "soothe" is inappropriate
considering this?
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Doug "Speaker-To-Insects" Yanega      "UT!"       Bitnet: KUENTO@UKANVAX
My card: 0 The Fool       (Snow Museum, Univ. of KS, Lawrence, KS 66045)
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