First collection of honey!

[Mackayboi]

I have done it! The other day I finally received the stainless steel honey extractor and time was coming to rob the hive.
The bees are such good workers that I got to give them something to do before they Swarm.

Anyone got advice as to how quick they fill the frames with honey and cap it?

Also, what is the smoker really for? I mean, my hive is so relaxed that the smoke just irritates them.

One last thing, what should I look for when I open the brood box... Is there risk of killing or losing the queen if she flies away?

[mikecva]

Seldom do queens fly away except during a swarm. Most new beeks and even some of us oldies  :brian: lose a queen in the grass if we do not remember to hold brood frames over the box until we are sure the queen is not there. Another common mistake is to not provide enough space to lift the brood frame and the queen is damaged/killed when she is rolled off the frame.

Smoke is used to mask the queens instructions to the workers. to much smoke and the workers might think there is a fire and start eating the honey stores before they must exit their hive and run for a new home.

Remember with smoke - Less is More    I prefer to give the workers a light spray of sugar water to using smoke. If I go down more then one box, I use a very little smoke at the entrance and spray at the top.

I do not smoke the hive before I remove the honey for your use. - Mike

[Mackayboi]

Thanks Mikecva,
I like the idea of less is more with regard to smoke.
After I posted the question, I looked deeper into the use of smoke and found that it masks the pheromone of the bees so they stay that little bit calm.

So does spraying the workers with sugar water calm them down too?

If I do find the queen on the ground, whats the best way to pick her up? (my first guess is a piece of paper)

[mikecva]

Queens will sting other queens but not other bees. With that said, I have picked them up with my hands but I usually make a cone with paper (like an ice cream cone) because I do not like the thought of dropping her and getting her again.   -Mike