Alternative to smokers

[babathemba]

Has anyone tried Honey-B-Healthy (the smallest whiff) or Fisher's Bee Quick (on a fume board) instead of smoke? Some of the old guys around here swear by them.

There is a cost factor (I use pine needles when I smoke, of which I have an abundant supply) yet the affect on the bees of the first two is supposedly noticeably better, both in their more passive response and in their recovery time.

[BMAC]

fume boards have their place as does a smoker.

You dont want smoke flavored honey do you?

At the same time when you work brood, you dont want to drive all the bees out of the hive with Bee Quick.  Actually I don't think bee quick is as effective as honey robber.

[Bennettoid]

I quit smoking about 5 years ago. Still occassoinally get a craving.

[Scadsobees]

I have to dab a bit of BQuick on my wrists and neck to keep all of the females away.  :roll:
I heard that it works. 

I would think that using a fume board instead of a smoker would cause more disruptions to the hive.

[Understudy]

Fatbeeman recommends Vicks Vapor Rub.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Cindi]

Fatbeeman recommends Vicks Vapor Rub.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

For what?  C

[Jerrymac]

Fatbeeman recommends Vicks Vapor Rub.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

For what?  C

Repelling bees. J

[babathemba]

I'm not familiar with Honey Robber.  With me, Bee Quick does not drive the bees out of the hive, but does send them down to a  level, perhaps the lower brood box.  So it depends on what I'm looking for, I suppose.

I'd certainly like to experiment with Vicks and with Bee Quick on the wrists.  One old timer I know swears by denatured alcohol which he spreads over his hands and face .. and never wears a veil.

[ooptec]

I've heard and will try this season

That dissolving some propolis in methanol and straining into a spray bottle.

Then light spritz of tincture on yourself and bees are supposed to ignore you

Sounds good enuf to try anyways.

cheers

peter

[Galaxy]

ooptec, do you mean menthol instead of methanol.  It seems that spraying methanol would be dangerous, especially if you are smoking or there is any flame around.

[Cindi]

Peter, ooops, maybe you do mean menthol.  I think that methanol is the stinky stuff that puffs out our rear ends now and then!!!  Let us know how that works for ya, hee, hee, have the most beautiful and awesome day, love this life.  Cindi

[ooptec]

Wood grain alcohol, Methanol, gas line antifreeze - for us where we need it, paint store solvent for those who don't    lol

And you just spritz a little on yourself like perfume, not a drenching. Especially hands and face.

But perhaps don't do it w/smoker also in your hand     lol    tho doubt it would catch anyways.

cheers

peter

[BMAC]

I'm not familiar with Honey Robber.  With me, Bee Quick does not drive the bees out of the hive, but does send them down to a  level, perhaps the lower brood box.  So it depends on what I'm looking for, I suppose.

I'd certainly like to experiment with Vicks and with Bee Quick on the wrists.  One old timer I know swears by denatured alcohol which he spreads over his hands and face .. and never wears a veil.

Using Denatured alcohol is a disaster waiting to happen.  The reason it is denatured, is they add chemicals to the ethanol that will make you deathly ill or kill you if you drink it.  Those same chemicals are entering your body thru the pores.  I would not recommend doing that at all.

[ooptec]

Cripes,

Methanol is not denatured alcohol.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol made to be undrinkable.

Methanol is a totally different alcohol tho it's not drinkable either

Perhaps it was unclear

YOU DON"T DRINK IT

You spritz a tiny amount of the propolus tincture. Like it was perfume which is exactly what you want it to be. A perfume that the girls accept you as they react to odors and then you will smell like a hive. Think of luring swarms.

The old timer spreads it on his hands neck etc. just like if you were using to remove something. In this case possibly personal odors.

You DON"T Drink, inhale or ingest in any way.

There is alcohol in untold number of liquid preparations on store shelves. You've been doing it for a long time already if you'd read the labels.

Jeeze Marie, not, too alarmist are we??

[Jerrymac]

Those same chemicals are entering your body thru the pores.

BMAC wasn't talking about drinking it. Did we read it all before going on a rant?

[ooptec]

Using Denatured alcohol is a disaster waiting to happen.  The reason it is denatured, is they add chemicals to the ethanol that will make you deathly ill or kill you if you drink it.  Those same chemicals are entering your body thru the pores.  I would not recommend doing that at all.

[BMAC]

Yes I hope the rant wasn't due to what I wrote.  I was simply stating I would not leave denatured alcohol on my skin.  Some people maybe Ok with it, but in my view that is like putting coumophos in your bee hives.  Bad stuff even on your skin.  The chemicals that companies use to denature the alcohol will be absorbed thru your pores in your skin and will eventually find their way to your kidneys and liver and remain there.  Bad stuff.......

I understand I stated it will make you deathly ill if you drink denatured alcohol.  Maybe I should have left this tidbit of information out as I know nobody was going to drink it, but rather use it for a deterent for bees.  So now you have to bear with the rest of us for a little alcohol history lesson.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol with the intended purpose of using as a solvent vice drinking it.  The U.S. federal government closes monitors and heavily taxes all drinkable forms fo ethanol.  So for the companies to avoid paying a manufacturing tax to the tune of $10.00 US dollars per gallon they denature it by adding bad chemicals such as but not necessarily acetone.  These chemicals mix so thoroughly with the pure ethanol it is almost impossible to seperate the two.  With the denaturing they can sell it as a solvent and not pay the ethanol tax to the US government.

So although you will not drink it, those nasty chemicals will be absorbed thru your skin.

[ooptec]

But ........      lol

You are talking about denatured alcohol.

I am referring to methanol, a totally different thing.

And that's my last word on the subject    ....... honest .......  lol

cheers

[BMAC]

But ........      lol

You are talking about denatured alcohol.

I am referring to methanol, a totally different thing.

And that's my last word on the subject    ....... honest .......  lol

cheers

no its not.  Besides my original comment is abot denatured alcohol.  Not Methanol.  :-D.......

I wouldn't drink the methanol either.  Bad headaches.  A little vomitting and it could make you go blind with the the fun effects the ethanol gives us.