I'm surprised you haven't heard this one before. I hear it all the time. I was told this when I first started beekeeping, but I have never agreed with it as it didn't make sense to me!
Smoke interferes with the bees' primary form of communication, smell. The smoke reduces the ability of the antennae to detect the alarm/invader signal. The effect is reversible and the responsiveness of bees’ antennae gradually returns.
I was taught that you should always smoke the entrance of a hive and then wait a few minutes before opening 'because the bees think there's a fire......' . I only use smoke to move bees out of the way or if they are getting a bit stroppy. At one time I could open, inspect and close three hives without using the smoker once (although it was always to hand). I tested the 'smoking at the entrance' theory a few times, and each time it just seemed to make my nice calm bees agitated!
With my current colonies I am finding I need to use smoke a little more but still not a great deal. I always make sure the smoker is omitting a cool smoke by testing it on my forearm; if it's too hot for my skin the it's too hot for the bees. I find a very fine mist of water will calm things down if they're a bit 'flighty'.
Smoke interferes with the bees' primary form of communication, smell. The smoke reduces the ability of the antennae to detect the alarm/invader signal. The effect is reversible and the responsiveness of bees’ antennae gradually returns.
I was taught that you should always smoke the entrance of a hive and then wait a few minutes before opening 'because the bees think there's a fire......' . I only use smoke to move bees out of the way or if they are getting a bit stroppy. At one time I could open, inspect and close three hives without using the smoker once (although it was always to hand). I tested the 'smoking at the entrance' theory a few times, and each time it just seemed to make my nice calm bees agitated!
With my current colonies I am finding I need to use smoke a little more but still not a great deal. I always make sure the smoker is omitting a cool smoke by testing it on my forearm; if it's too hot for my skin the it's too hot for the bees. I find a very fine mist of water will calm things down if they're a bit 'flighty'.