On 25/04/16 01:34, Cam Bishop wrote:
> My experience with N2 is different. I've used it in the introduction of virgins several times. In those cases I saw bees bringing in pollen the same afternoon that they were smoked with N2. Can't speak to CO@ because I've never used it.
Cam, did you 'smoke' (or anaesthetise) with N2O as opposed to 'gas' the 
bees with N2?

I was interested in the reference quoted by Bill Hesbach (Ribbands, C. 
R. "Changes in the behaviour of honey-bees following their recovery from 
anaesthesia." Journal of Experimental Biology 27.3 (1950): 302-310.), 
because I was under the impression that bees anaesthetised with N2 did 
not suffer any subsequent diminution of pollen foraging. That author 
clearly indicated the opposite, and that both N2 and CO2 are inhibitory.

Juanse Barros is an advocate of "sleeping" the bees with N2O generated 
by burning ammonium nitrate in the smoker when introducing queens, and 
like you, he certainly hasn't indicated  any subsequent pollen foraging 
problems.

  My results with CO2 seemed pretty damning, yet I know one prominent 
queen breeder uses this method to
subdue bulk bees whilst measuring them out into their mating nucs when 
setting them up at the start of the season, (see 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxe3mV04kfM )

Guess I'll just stick to shaking the bees like I've always done. I would 
try the N2O method  if I could. Despite seeing large truckloads of 
placarded Ammonium Nitrate on the highway heading to the wheatbelt, any 
attempt to acquire it even in small amounts will result in an uninvited 
visit from our federal antiterrorist agencies, and they are not inclined 
to tiptoe up and knock quietly on the front door!


PeterD
In Western Australia, where thankfully we are spared the terrorist 
activities so prevalent in other parts of the developed world.

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