Hi,



Several readers have criticized my proposal that “suicide bees” are simply passively sucked into the nozzle of a lit smoker, and some of the criticism is quite pertinent.



There is of course no reason to believe that “suicide bees” intend to die, which is why I enclose the term in quotes. There is no question that “suicide bees” are attracted to the lit smoker. (This in itself does not mean that they could not be sucked in once they happen to get close enough to the nozzle, or that you need a very strong vacuum to suck them in when they are flying towards the smoker in the first place.)



The most pertinent argument, raised against my proposal by quite a number of readers, is however based on the claim that cool air flows into the lit smoker through a small hole near the base. Quite true. Those readers also claim that no cool air flows into the lit smoker through the much larger opening of the nozzle. Possibly also true. If it happens to be true (which could be checked by simply holding a short very thin paper-streamer near the nozzle) I shall fully retract my proposal as erroneous and unwarranted, and accept that the bees cannot be passively sucked in, but must actively fly into the nozzle!



This however means that they are attracted specifically to the nozzle of a lit, even idle smoker, which raises the question why? Contrary to some suggestions there is no evidence, and no reason to believe that they try to attack black spots (like the eyes of animals, and the “eye” of a smoker), or any object that radiates heat. The bees also cannot be attracted to the odors of honey from a possibly contaminated smoker. (Such odors, if they at all attract the bees, could not be coming out of the opening of the nozzle. As far As I see it this leaves only the possibility that “suicide bees” (described as angry bees) are trying to attack the smoke itself. They may try to attack it because it is a moving object, or (and this is less likely) because they already learned to associate its sight and odors with serious disturbances caused by the beekeeper in the past.







Sincerely,

Ruth Rosin ("prickly pear")

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