Question

Why do beekeepers use a bee smoker while inspecting the hives or harvesting honey from the hives?

I. Smoke helps to calm down the honeybees.
II. Smoke causes immediate death of the honeybees.
III. Smoke helps to mask the alert pheromones released by the honeybees.

• A. I and III
• B. II and III
• C. Only I
• D. Only III

Answer 1

The correct option is A I and III

Apiculture or bee-keeping is the practice of rearing, caring and management of honeybees for obtaining honey and beeswax. The place where beehives are kept for rearing bees is known as an apiary. One of the basic requirements for apiculture is the knowledge of the techniques required to catch and hive swarms (group of bees) to extract honey and beeswax.

Honeybees live in colonies and are extremely protective of the queen and their hive. Thus, it is necessary that beekeepers are equipped with proper safety clothing and equipment while working with the hives, either for inspection or for harvesting products from the hives.

A bee smoker is a device that is designed to produce smoke by incomplete combustion of natural fuels such as rotten wood, coconut fibres, pine needles etc. The smoke released will not harm or kill the honeybees. So statement II is incorrect.

The smoke released helps to calm down the bees during beehive inspections. This is because when bees sense danger, they release pheromones which alert other bees. The smoke helps to mask any alert pheromone (chemicals released by bees to communicate with each other) that might be released by honey bees. Thus, the beekeeper can work without triggering an aggressive defensive response from the honeybees. So, statements I and III are correct.

Figure: Bee keeper using a bee smoker