spraying sugar water

[bill]

would someone talk about sugar water spraying as a way to control bees I am not very good with the smoker and I was thinking it might be another thing to use instead of or in conjunction with smoke  and does it do them any harm  thanx

[jathomas]

I do keep a spray bottle full of sugar water down by the hives.  (It won't rust, so why not?).   It has the benefit of keeping the bees from flying, and causes them to lick each other.  Not bad, but you have to actually hit them with it, unlike smoke, where they just have to smell it.  If you want to drench down all the bees to the point where you're not going to get stung, it's going to take a lotta sugar water!  I use it once in a while, but mostly it's just for when I want them to accept foundation, I give the plasticells a couple of sprays.


If you are having troubles using the smoker, it might be because you're not giving the bees enough time.  

Remember, the smoke doesn't actually calm the bees.  It causes them to gorge themselves on honey, which in turn calms them.  If you're not giving the bees a minute to gorge before going into the hive, you're not enjoying the full benefit of using the smoker.

[Finsky]

That is not good idea at all. When robbers notice sugarwater, it is not nice to watch.

Bees need nowadays very faint smoke. Usually when you put ceiling or box on the top, you must push away bees that they do not die.

Nowadays bees do not attach. If you have an agry hive, change a queen.

I have heard that some spray pure water on bees. I think it also unnecessary.

[Wombat]

My professor swears by it, and sprays a light coat of sugar water on swarms before collections...just to calm them down even more. I saw this today when we nabbed a swarm and there was a VERY noticable effect on the swarm. But I've always used smoke in the hive itself.
peace
wombat