Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick  (Read 15139 times)

Offline Scott Derrick

  • Expert Bee Handler
  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
  • Go Gamecocks!!
    • Honeybee Removal Expert Serving South Carolina, Charlotte NC and Augusta GA
JP and I have been discussing these three product and the lack of availability of Fischer Bee Quick. Having worked in the chemical industry for many years now I decided to investigate them to see if I could come up with a good hypothesis as to why Fischer Bee Quick is in short supply and a solution for a suitable alternative. (Pssst...I wanna make it.) Fischer Bee Quick is said to be the preferable of the three due to it's smell described by JP as "Almonds". Pronounced In Bayou language as AAlmunds and pronounced in Redneck as Allmonds. Anyway I digress.

I'm trying to help myself and JP come up with a solution to this quandary. Having used Bee Go recently and almost corroding a hole in my truck bed,  I decide to not use it or anything remotely like it for removals. I don't like me or my truck or customers homes smelling like a Vomit Barge on a hot summer day!

Digging into this I found that Bee Go and Honey Robber are primarily Butyric Acid which is a very nasty chemical. It is highly corrosive and is both a strong lung and eye irritant. (Speaking From Experience) Here is some MSDS type info that actually lists Honey Robber as a synonym.  I'm sure it's effective for driving bees out of hives but for removers and beekeepers alike I feel its dangerous. Bee Go is very similar and is mostly if not all Butyric Acid or Butyric Anhydride which is a synonym for Butyric Acid.

I found this interesting info on Bee Go.

Needless to say that both JP and I as well as many other beekeepers don't want to us this anymore. We prefer Bee Quick but it doesn't seem to be available...but why?

My hypothesis is this. Fischer Bee Quick which is described to smell like almonds with a touch of cherry. Having worked in the flavor and fragrance manufacturing industry for 13 years my experience tells me that it  must be made up mostly of Benzaldehyde which is used in the flavor and fragrance manufacturing industry for Artificial Almond and Cherry Flavor and Fragrance. But guess what folks? It's also used as a principle component in the manufacturer of Methanphedomine and is becoming more and more scrutinized by the FDA and DEA. Even Fisher Bee Quick mentions it on their website. Click here then click on the Benzaldehyde link to read about it.

Although I'm only guessing I would bet that because Benzaldehyde is becoming more strictly regulated by the DEA and the fact the Fischer donates all profits to the Eastern Apiculture Society it has become a burden for them to produce and not profitable enough. This is strictly a hypothesis and in no way a slap at the manufactures face. I'm just trying to figure out why.

The Fischer Bee Quick label says "A natural non-toxic blend of natural oils and extracts". Bitter Almond Oil is what I think they are most likely using. Wikipedia gives some great insight into Bitter Almond Oil:

There are two forms of the plant, one (often with white flowers) producing sweet almonds, and the other (often with pink flowers) producing bitter almonds. The kernel of the former contains a fixed oil and emulsion. As late as the early 20th century the oil was used internally in medicine, with the stipulation that it must not be adulterated with that of the bitter almond; it remains fairly popular in alternative medicine, particularly as a carrier oil in aromatherapy, but has fallen out of prescription among doctors.

The bitter almond is rather broader and shorter than the sweet almond, and contains about 50% of the fixed oil which also occurs in sweet almonds. It also contains the enzyme emulsin which, in the presence of water, acts on a soluble glucoside, amygdalin, yielding glucose, cyanide and the essential oil of bitter almonds, which is nearly pure benzaldehyde. Bitter almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of hydrogen cyanide[clarify]. Extract of bitter almond was once used medicinally, but even in small doses effects are severe and in larger doses can be deadly; the cyanide must be removed before consumption.


In conclusion, I believe that this product is in short supply due fact that Benzaldehyde is being scrutinized so highly because it is needed to produce Meth. I also believe that Fischer Bee Quick is using mostly Benzaldehyde in their product. I can't find an MSDS sheet to prove it but I'm digging.

Hey maybe it is in short supply because everyone wants it and they can't keep it on the shelf. Maybe it's a production issue and they need a more qualified manufacturer to handle the Benzaldehyde and they had to stop production until they could find someone.

The fact is does anyone really care? Man I need to get a life!!!!
My Bee Removal Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/109455718186385256142
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rsderrick

"You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole."
                                              Billy Graham

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2008, 07:43:47 am »
Jim has answered the question of availability on Beesource if you'd like the answer direct.  He says he's been trying to find a bottler who will deliver the product.

As for the ingredients, it smells like benzaldehyde to me.  Almond extract is still available and smells the same.  I can't say benzaldehyde smells good to me.  Every since I made it in Organic Chem lab I haven't been able to stand maraschino cherries.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Cindi

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 9825
  • Gender: Female
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2008, 09:42:21 am »
Scott, wow, all I can say is:  go, Scott, go!!!  You are up to some very interesting stuff and I think that you have got a life, yeah!!!  Good for you.  Have that most beautifully awesome and great day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Scott Derrick

  • Expert Bee Handler
  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
  • Go Gamecocks!!
    • Honeybee Removal Expert Serving South Carolina, Charlotte NC and Augusta GA
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2008, 10:37:46 am »
Jim has answered the question of availability on Beesource if you'd like the answer direct.  He says he's been trying to find a bottler who will deliver the product.


Mike I see that he made a post on April 1st of this year concerning this but he said he was trying to get the details worked out with the new bottler and it was slow going. I have not been able to find anything else by him. I just find it difficult to imagine what could be keeping a new bottler from taking care of him. I also find it difficult to understand that he hasn't investigate other bottlers since he has been having difficulty. I bet I know at least two bottlers that would do it for him.

In the southeast we are just entering into the harvest season and this should be his peak sales season. Can the product line survive as is if it can be readily obtained? Maybe so. I just wish they would start production again soon.
My Bee Removal Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/109455718186385256142
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rsderrick

"You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole."
                                              Billy Graham

Offline Kathyp

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 20339
  • Gender: Female
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2008, 11:10:40 am »
a lot of things are hard to come by because of meth.  i have to ask for strong iodine because it's now behind the counter at the feed store.  you trigger the feds if you buy to much of the stuff.

really ticked me off when they took sudafed off the shelf.  instead of doing away with the meth heads, they make the allergy heads suffer. 

as usual, they go at the problem a** backward.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2008, 11:26:33 am »
I keep hearing its a bottling thing as well. Beequick in fact smells like all-munds and a little of something else, but mostly all-munds.

Honey robber has a hint of cherry and yes this is a product that you have to be EXTREMELY careful with, it can and will BURN your eyes, a little goes a LONG way. I would NEVER use this product on my honey, but it does work great at moving bees where you want them to move, such as off of a branch after you've shaken a swarm, if you squirt a little on the branch, they won't land on that spot.

Good luck Scott, I hope you can come up with a solution, pun intended.


...JP
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline sc-bee

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2985
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2008, 04:22:19 pm »
When I e-mailed Jim awhile back--- quite a while back he said the issue was the small caps on the special made plastic bottles. A shortage of the caps and couldn't believe the lead time etc to get them. I guess now the issue is bottling?
John 3:16

Offline doak

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Gender: Male
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2008, 05:27:50 pm »
And man what a weed killer. Really.
doak

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2008, 10:30:32 pm »
>I have not been able to find anything else by him.

He has made several posts since then.  Try a search on Beesource.  Some are within the last week.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Scott Derrick

  • Expert Bee Handler
  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
  • Go Gamecocks!!
    • Honeybee Removal Expert Serving South Carolina, Charlotte NC and Augusta GA
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2008, 11:57:42 pm »
I haven't seen anything else Micheal. I did however make contact with him and the same problem exists.
My Bee Removal Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/109455718186385256142
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rsderrick

"You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole."
                                              Billy Graham

Offline sc-bee

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2985
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2008, 06:20:55 am »
EXPERT BEE HANDLER   :shock:. A little COCKY wouldn't you say  :evil:.
John 3:16

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2008, 08:42:46 pm »
EXPERT BEE HANDLER   :shock:. A little COCKY wouldn't you say  :evil:.

Hey sc bee, Dallas is the one that gives the titles, he loves doing that!
As for me, my wife will tell ya, I'm a king allright, the king of nothing! :-D

A little tidbit so you can appreciate why Scott got his nickname, He was doing a commercial for ESPN at a golf tournament and they wanted him to handle some bees and they took a bunch of pictures of his bees on the flowers. Scott showed up with a nuc, I believe, and let some out and he said right on key they flew out and went right for the flowers! He was surprised, himself.

As for Scott, personally, he is anything but cocky, one heck of a nice fella, I promise you that, he is generous, unselfish, and God fearing, can't find a nicer fellow, I promise you that, oh, and a father of three boys.

As far as the title they gave me, I think its cute, but nothing more than that, they can remove that title any time they want to and I wouldn't blink an eye.

Just wanted to clear the air, and also want to emphasize that I can see your point if these titles were self imposed, but they are not.

Have a good one,


...JP
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline DayValleyDahlias

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1629
  • Gender: Female
    • DayValleyDahlia's Blog
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2008, 09:04:06 pm »
P.S.  just and FYI, in almond country, they are pronounced "ammens"...( amonds )...because when they fall from the tree, they get the 'L" knocked out of them...

Offline MollySuesHoney

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 37
  • Gender: Male
    • Molly Sue's Honey
Re: Bee Go, Honey Robber and Why I Think We Can't Get Fischer Bee Quick
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2008, 11:20:46 pm »
ROFLSHIAWMD

'Roll on floor laughing so hard I almost woke my dog'
Lawrence Underwood

Mobile, Alabama

 

anything