> I remember reading (about 30 years ago) that if one was to put a bit of
ammonium
> nitrate (now, it has been a .ong tiome and the chemists out there will be
able
> to tell us if I came up with the correct compound) in your smoker it
would
> produce laughing gas and put the bees to sleep. When they woke up their
memoties
> would be blank (well somewhat blank) and one could move the hive a few
feet or
> yards and they would orient themselves to the new location and never
remember
> where the hive had been before.
 
I have seen chemical fertilizer used in a smoker to put bees asleep while
making up baby nucs.  It does work.  Just a couple teaspoons in  a lit
smoker and the white smoke will put a 3 lb package to sleep for about a
couple of minutes.
 
Personally, I would not recommend this;  not just for the bees health, but
your own health.
 
I also know a beekeeper who claims that a hive put to sleep this way, can
be moved within a yard without the bees drifting back to their original
location.   Even if it works,  you won't see me trying it.
 
Kevin Christensen