Before we work with a new package of bees, we spray them with a 1:1 ratio of water and dissolved sugar. Spraying helps calm the bees and allows you to more easily maneuver them into the hive.
It’s not a good idea to use a smoker with a new package because you want to encourage the bees to accept their new home. If they sense that there is a danger of “fire” (the smoke coming from the smoker) they may flee the new hive and all will be lost.
I was thinking about how we use the sugar spray only when placing a new colony, and then after the bees are established, we switch to the smoker. I began to question why we don’t use a sugar spray for hive inspections other times of the year.
A sugar spray might be great for people who are sensitive to smoke, like those who have allergies or asthma, or people who live in dry climates and are worried about starting a fire.
After a bit of research, I discovered that people actually do use sugar spray as their primary bee calming solution, but there are some risks involved.
More on sugar water
When you spray bees with sugar water they begin cleaning themselves frantically. This activity keeps the bees busy while you work with them, as they’re too distracted removing the syrup from their bodies to sting or defend the hive.
Pros
- The sugar water is easy to mix up
- You don’t have to worry about finding fuel to burn
- You also don’t have to worry about keeping the smoker lit while working with the bees
- You can’t burn the bees with sugar water, and it’s not a fire hazard
- No smoke for people who are sensitive
Cons
- The biggest downside with using sugar water is that you have to open the hive to begin spraying. With a smoker, you can begin at the entrance and crack the lid and give a few puffs to distract the bees.
- You also run the risk of missing bees with the sprayer. If a bee isn’t sprayed there’s no reason for it to not become defensive.
Combination technique
It might be helpful to use both methods when you’re out in your beehive. You could initially begin with the smoker and then as you work with the colony occasionally spritz them with the sugar water. This would keep the bees distracted on both accounts and you don’t have to worry about keeping your smoker lit throughout the session.
5 Comments
I actually use powdered sugar (we call it icing sugar) at times. Also use just a water mister and when they’re really upset a smoker. I also use the sugar duster as a varroa check measure. All my hives have open bottoms with mesh, I sling a white board sprayed with cooking oil below, dust the bees and check the board a couple of hours later. Do every few days for a month. The bees groom the mites off themselves, the mites then fall and are trapped in the oil. Easy count of mites and after a month you shouldn’t be seeing any! The real bonus is that the bees start grooming more often and after a period of time you just wont see the mites anymore.
Thanks Jennifer for giving us a break down of pros and cons….. thats SO helpful and your article informative! Its great to hear what other people do and when with their bees and waht works and doesnt! Thanks again so much!! 😀
Thanks Grant Insley for the comment…… it sounds like a great idea also ! I wanted to ask, when you dust the bees, do you dust each box level or do you just do the box the closest to the screened bottom? And how many bees, % would you say you are dusting to check for the mittes? Do you get any issues with hornets etc from the powdered sugard drop? What do you use to dust with…. a shaker? Thanks much!! Great ideas and economical and simple too :}
I would think that would incorange robbing , ?
Forgot to mention I use Top Bar Hives of my own construction. All bees are dusted this way. Yes, wasps and robbers are attracted. To mitigate I use robber screens all year, have had no issues since fitting them. Since reading this article I’ve tried sugar water spray and decided it’s easier to spray than dust……
The duster I was using is a barbers talc duster.
Thanks. I found the information valuable and will apply soon. Some people think the sugar water spray acts by weighing down the bees, at least during the harvest.