1.2 - The reactions of honeybees to smoke

Why we smoke bees

• It's a reaction from a potential forest fire that could burn down the hive. They gorge themselves on the honey and nectar to take as much stores as possible with them. 
• Eating stores makes them less likely to sting. Traditionally thought this was because they got full and couldn't bend to sting. Now considered more likely to be because eating so much makes them sleepy and full. 
• In summer an alternative is to use a water spritz. Sometimes when it's very hot the smoker will bother them. If you spray the frames with water they don't need to use energy to bring in water to cool the hive.