What if the smoker was the new cigarette?
Every good beekeeper uses a smoker. This tool, the modern version of which was invented in 1873, hasn’t changed much since. However, when asked about the effects of the smoker beyond the microcosm of the hive, most people are unable to formulate a complete answer. On television, we hear of hundreds of hectares going up in smoke because of one beekeeper. If you ask them about this indispensable tool, some beekeepers will complain about the smell, a sore throat, or the time they nearly set fire to their car on the way back from the hives.
All this begs the question: are smokers more dangerous than we think? Could they be the source of dangers we hadn’t thought of, ranging from forest fires to health risks (for beekeepers and their colonies)?
This raises other questions, not least: how do you protect yourself, your bees and the environment, without compromising on your own safety and comfort? Let’s take a moment to explain the hidden dangers of the smoker, before exploring safer alternatives.
How the smoker works: the genius behind the smoke screen
You don’t change a winning team.
The smoker is an ingenious tool. All you have to do to calm the bees is light a controlled fire in the chamber provided by the object, before pressing on the bellows to produce a cloud of smoke. Although the smoke is thought to make the bees tired, the correlation between the two is not so direct.
When they smell smoke, the bees prepare to leave the hive by eating as much honey as possible: they want to protect the colony from the approaching fire, and need to make sure they have the energy and resources to find a new home. The likelihood of a bee stinging you decreases if the bee has gorged itself. They are literally too busy preparing to leave, or simply too full to do so (like you during and after a big dinner!). The strong smell of smoke also masks their alarm pheromones,preventing effective communication between the bees and the colony.
As long as you make sure that the smoke does not burn your bees’ wings, it does not present a major danger to your colony. If the smoke raises the alarm and puts them on the alert, it’s still the least dangerous option for them, the alternative being the colony trying to sting you through the suit, which would result in their death. Just remember to let your smoker burn a little before using it on the hive.
The hidden dangers of the smoker
When the smoker triggers a disaster
And do bees like smoking?
Although smoke is used by almost all beekeepers, the reason for its effectiveness remains unknown. But you can’t change a winning team, can you? The problem is that research has shown that smoke applied directly to bees, as well as air pollution, are key factors in reducing bee populations. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, non-wild honey bee populations in the United States have declined between 25% and 45% per year since 2010, including a 44% decline between 2015 and 2016.
As mentioned earlier, we don’t really know what smoke does to a bee, other than this correlation between smoke and their immediate response. Although we can see the benefits of smoking bees (safety, comfort), we can’t really determine the disadvantages. And just because we can’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Smoke keeps the bees calm. But when is too much? Smoking your colony too much can cause stress, disorientation and respiratory problems in the bees. The problem with smokers is also their strength: anyone can use them anywhere, with just about anything. But when you use wood found on the ground, you don’t really know what you’re burning, which means you have absolutely no idea what gases you’re producing and inhaling.
Beyond the hive: the cost behind using the smoker
Your trusty smoker hasn’t betrayed you yet… “Playing with fire” is an expression for a reason. Playing with fire” is an expression for a reason: fire is difficult to control, and once it’s lit you’re just as much at risk as the environment around you. The smoker could well become the cause of a fire. A dry atmosphere, strong winds and a lot of bad luck can turn the smallest ember into a forest fire in just a few minutes.
Be careful when using your smoker: dry grass, leaves and even wooden structures around your apiary can catch fire from the smoke. If you’re careless, you could become the reason behind a devastating incident, like the Tučepi fire in Croatia. Apparently, on August 2, a beekeeper accidentally set fire to a hive and tried to extinguish it. Unfortunately, he failed, and as a result, 100 hectares of vegetation burnt in the fire.
The smoker versus the beekeeper’s lungs?
Smoking is not so different from smoking: you like using it because it’s familiar, and although the smell isn’t great, you don’t feel any particular pain after using it. However, you shouldn’t throw it on the still-burning ground (especially in the forest!) and you certainly shouldn’t inhale all that smoke.
The only advantage beekeepers have over smokers is that their exposure to smoke is less intense, and the same applies to the effects of smoke on their health. That said, we urge you to take care: work in well-ventilated areas, minimise smoke as much as possible, etc. Even smoke from organic materials such as wood, straw or dry grass can irritate the respiratory system.
Research into the effects of smoke on beekeepers’ health shows that the risk of chronic illnesses such as bronchitis is significantly lower than that of a cigarette smoker. It should be noted, however, that inferiority does not mean that the risks have disappeared…
To smoke or not to smoke, that is the question.
Are there any alternatives?
Honestly, it depends on the character of your bees and what you plan to do when you visit the hive. If they’re gentle, you could potentially try a spray of sugar water: this will encourage them to stay put. You could even add some essential oils to combat Varroa mites, to kill two birds with one stone. They’ll be so busy cleaning themselves that they won’t notice you. But if you need to move them, this may not be the best solution.
You can then try the APISOLIS, which aims to become a modern alternative to the traditional smoker.
The smokeless smoker: the APISOLIS vaporiser
It works like a smoker: by pressing the bellows. But it’s not smoke that comes out, it’s steam. This vapour is made up of molecules found in the flowers foraged by bees, and has the same calming effect. The advantage of APISOLIS over a sugar-water spray is that it’s a vapour and not a mist: if you press on the bellows, you can gently blow on the bees so that they move.
The effect of APISOLIS on the environment is significantly more positive than that of the smoker. The same applies to its effect on beekeepers’ lungs. What’s more, there is no risk of fire, and even less of a fire as large as the one in Croatia. In fact, with the APISOLIS, there is no combustion, and even if you were to be careless, the tool is designed to extinguish itself after 20 minutes without use.
Conclusion
There’s a good reason why the traditional smoker has no rivals: it works. It hasn’t stopped working since it was invented in the 1870s. However, with forest fires on the increase around the globe and bee populations dwindling, it seems more important than ever to discuss everyone’s impact on the environment, and the ways in which individuals can contribute to the well-being of the planet.
To do this, we need to consider the tools we use for beekeeping, and the possible negative impact they could have on what we are trying to protect. It’s essential that we take care of ourselves, our bees and the forests we have left.
The smokeless smoker created by APISOLIS is one of the solutions we’ve found. The tool continues to improve, and is surrounded by a growing community of users and a team extremely determined to make it work (and work well!). By using steam made from flower molecules instead of traditional smoke, APISOLIS is an innovation that works hand in hand with nature to ensure the safety of beekeepers.
