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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: millipede on August 04, 2013, 09:22:46 pm

Title: Breathing on the bees
Post by: millipede on August 04, 2013, 09:22:46 pm
Well today I was just out observing one of my hive and I got a little too close and exhaled into the landing area. They boiled out of there like the place was on fire. Had to have been 3-400 bees. Most just flew around and returned but a couple went in for the kill. I have noticed in the past that when I accidently breathed on them during an inspection the got a little worked up but nothing exciting. But holy cow, must be the hot weather because they sure are crabby right now.
Anyone know if it's the carbon dioxide that does this? They don't seem to get worked up over a breeze blowing in just me lol.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: Cedar Hill on August 04, 2013, 09:52:37 pm
     Did you have a little wine before breathing on the bees?   That will do it every time.   OMTCW
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: BeeMaster2 on August 04, 2013, 11:15:41 pm
Bees react to your breath due to thousands of years dealing with bears sticking their snouts in their hives and causing maximum destruction.
Jim
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: 10framer on August 04, 2013, 11:48:46 pm
Bees react to your breath due to thousands of years dealing with bears sticking their snouts in their hives and causing maximum destruction.
Jim

^^^exactly.  bees go for co2 and fast movements.  if you ever find yourself in a situation where bees are hitting your head raise your hand above your head and shake it around as you move away holding your breath.  at least some of them will go for the motion instead your eyes.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 05, 2013, 12:05:34 am
Don't know about the bears cause we ain't got none  :-D But I do know they go to the Co2 :shock:
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: BlueBee on August 05, 2013, 04:45:46 am
Good question millipede. 

I don’t know the answer, but sawdstmakr hypothesis sounds more probable than CO2.  Using a little deductive reasoning; we know the main component of burning organic material is CO2 + Water vapor.  Our smokers are going to be generating plenty of CO2 and we know by observation that the bees don’t attack the smokers.   Hence it seems unlikely that CO2 is what sets the bees off.  Probably some other trace molecules coming from our (mammals) breath that the bees have become sensitized to over the eons. 
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 05, 2013, 05:11:23 am
Using a little deductive reasoning; we know the main component of burning organic material is CO2 + Water vapor.  Our smokers are going to be generating plenty of CO2 and we know by observation that the bees don’t attack the smokers.  

 Geeze-Oh please, I know you didn't compare the two, are you kidding! I throw the flag on that one and since iddee's little neighbor may be tuned in I won't say what kind of flag.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: BlueBee on August 05, 2013, 05:13:22 am
 :? You lost me on that comment SC  :?
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 05, 2013, 05:15:21 am
:? You lost me on that comment SC  :?

Comparing smoke from a smoker to someone breathing??? May be I am the one lost????
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 05, 2013, 05:21:07 am
Don't know the attraction but we know it is true. They target the face/ respiratory areas. Look at examples of AHB and animals such as horses etc.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: millipede on August 05, 2013, 08:35:40 am
I am pretty sure CO not CO2 is a major gas released in burning wood, also the creosote and ethers make it very different from mammalian respiration.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: BlueBee on August 05, 2013, 08:46:18 am
Sorry Millipede, but you are mistaken.  The primary products of combustion are CO2 and H2O unless you are in a low O2 environment.  In a low O2 environment, you will get more CO than in normal combustion.  CO (carbon monoxide) is a deadly poison.  I haven’t seen too many beeks keeling over from using their smokers yet, but you never know with bee keepers.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: Michael Bush on August 05, 2013, 09:36:23 am
"We must avoid opening the hive too brusquely; in separating the combs we must act slowly, taking care to wound none of the bees:  when they are too much clustered upon the combs we must brush them softly with a feather, and, above all things, not breathe upon them; the air which we exhale appears to anger them:  the nature of this air evidently possesses some irritating quality; for if we use bellows to blow upon them, they are rather inclined to escape than to sting."--Francis Huber, New Observations Upon Bees, Volume I, 13th Letter, pg 192 of the 2012 edition

Link to 1806 English edition:
http://www.bushfarms.com/huber.htm#humanbreath (http://www.bushfarms.com/huber.htm#humanbreath)

"Bees dislike the offensive odour of sweaty animals, and will not endure impure air from human lungs"--L.L. Langstroth, The Hive and the Honey Bee

Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: millipede on August 05, 2013, 03:51:03 pm
Isn't the smoke made from smoldering wood in your smoker in a very low oxygen environment? Seems if it was not it would flame up and burn.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: BlueBee on August 05, 2013, 04:06:38 pm
Current OSHA limit is 50ppm Carbon Monoxide.  I hope our beeks have their smokers well tuned. :police:

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html#Exposure_Limits (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html#Exposure_Limits)

CO inhibits oxygen uptake in mammals.  Not sure what it does to insects, but since they run on oxygen too, I kind doubt CO is very good for them either.  Yes, CO is generated in low O2 environments and low combustion temps.  Both of which is present to some degree in a beeks smoker, but if it were the primary output gas from the smoker, bee keepers would be dropping like flies. :(
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: dprater on August 05, 2013, 09:35:10 pm
Its a good way to get the bees to move off a frame when your looking for eggs.


dan
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 05, 2013, 11:28:16 pm
Its a good way to get the bees to move off a frame when your looking for eggs.


dan

Yep use it all the time but I am never without a veil at least not on purpose  :-D
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: bud1 on August 06, 2013, 07:53:39 am
sounds like youall need to brush yo teeth  i am always blowing on them to move them around. but never without smoking them first.as dan says.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: LindaL on August 06, 2013, 10:00:08 am
sounds like youall need to brush yo teeth  i am always blowing on them to move them around. but never without smoking them first.as dan says.


I was going to suggest mouth wash but that works :)
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: Michael Bush on August 06, 2013, 10:50:32 am
Blowing on bees to get them to move is a useful tool... but only if you have a veil on as sometimes they hit your face stinging rather than move...
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: dprater on August 06, 2013, 06:13:46 pm
Veil is on when I do this. I'm not stupid I just have bad breath ;).
I go without gloves or a jacket sometimes but have not got brave enough to not use a veal. This is my second year maybe I will do that as time goes by but for now I like the veal.

Bad breath dan
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 06, 2013, 06:37:22 pm
sounds like youall need to brush yo teeth  i am always blowing on them to move them around. but never without smoking them first.as dan says.


and I know you use a veil shirtless wonder  :-P
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: MsCarol on August 07, 2013, 10:57:49 pm
OK, I noted something the other day when checking my girls

I had drank a beer with my lunch and along the lines of the glass of wine, I knew that might not be good to breathe on the bees. So I ruffled around and found a peppermint hard candy to suck on while checking the hives. I had less "bees in face" (WITH a veil on - thank-you), then I have had before.

Does anyone think there is a connection??
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: millipede on August 07, 2013, 11:18:14 pm
Bees seem to like  a lot of the essential oils. Might be you are on to something. I am willing to test this theory. I have a hive out back that hates it when I breath even close to them right now lol. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: sc-bee on August 08, 2013, 05:52:28 pm
Some folks rub wintergreen rubbing alcohol on their hands before working a hive. Claims it repels the bees.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: MsCarol on August 08, 2013, 08:17:38 pm
Some folks run wintergreen rubbing alcohol on their hands before working a hive. Claims it repels the bees.

I tried some of that in hopes of keeping the tickley sweat bees off the arms. I hate to squash any pollinator but they were about to carry me off. It didn't work......for them.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: bud1 on August 08, 2013, 09:48:12 pm
some folks aren't too fond of vails either  I put on a jacket and vail about 2 times a yr. just be easy or or wham bam them if they get pissy but give them a chance to decide and you probably gona be surprised. bees aren't as bad as most people think, but you who put on yo gloves and suit and go to smashing them up. you will never  handle bees no matter how much you know
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: Sparky on August 08, 2013, 09:54:20 pm
Veil is on when I do this. I'm not stupid I just have bad breath ;).
I go without gloves or a jacket sometimes but have not got brave enough to not use a veal. This is my second year maybe I will do that as time goes by but for now I like the veal.

Bad breath dan
You may want to continue to do as you do now Dan. If you take a sting here and there that is OK because you are a beekeeper, however when they turn on you when you do not expect it and go for the face as they will do, it only takes one sting in the eye sometimes to loose it.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: millipede on August 08, 2013, 11:06:22 pm
I generally don't wear a veil or suit either but if not I do wear safety goggles. They are a lot cooler. Admittedly I did get sting on the chin a few days ago and it swelled up real nicely lol. It's just so stinking hot here.
I did try a drop of Anise on my tongue today. The bees would have none of it. They still came out like I was attacking the place. I am out of wintergreen candy lol. I'll have to try that later.
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: Brian D. Bray on August 08, 2013, 11:18:05 pm
Old timers used to crush flowers in their hands before entering a hive to keep from being stung sans gloves, herbs worked better than most flowers.  Unfortunately the practice pretty much died out after WWII. 
Title: Re: Breathing on the bees
Post by: squidink on August 09, 2013, 02:09:01 am
They don't like strong smells, as mentioned wine breath they hate plus garlic breath too!