A Sweetener for feisty Bees?

[Tremyfro]

Last year I had a nosema problem so used thymol 1:1 syrup to spray the bees on the comb. As the bees have been slow to build up this year....which may be due to the God awful cold weather...I sprayed them all during our first inspections. My bees are usually very quiet.
The other day we collected some bees...a full colony and 2 nucs. These are far more feisty bees than we are used to.
As the bees were new to us...I decided to spray them during the first inspections....just in case there could be a nosema problem.
We had the smoker going...in case we needed it...which we did!
However, I noticed that as the inspections progressed and the bees got sprayed with the thymol syrup...that they quietened down a lot and were not so runny on the comb ...although quite a few were in the air.
Does anyone else use sugar spray....like instead of or also with smoke....?
Is there a negative to this?
Is it a known method for more feisty bees?

 

[Swarm]

A water spray, sometimes they don't want smoke and object to it. On occasions when they decide to take wing and be a nuisance, the water spray helps keep them down.

 

[Hachi]

Last year I had a nosema problem so used thymol 1:1 syrup to spray the bees on the comb. As the bees have been slow to build up this year....which may be due to the God awful cold weather...I sprayed them all during our first inspections. My bees are usually very quiet.
The other day we collected some bees...a full colony and 2 nucs. These are far more feisty bees than we are used to.
As the bees were new to us...I decided to spray them during the first inspections....just in case there could be a nosema problem.
We had the smoker going...in case we needed it...which we did!
However, I noticed that as the inspections progressed and the bees got sprayed with the thymol syrup...that they quietened down a lot and were not so runny on the comb ...although quite a few were in the air.
Does anyone else use sugar spray....like instead of or also with smoke....?
Is there a negative to this?
Is it a known method for more feisty bees?

Was/is the Thymol in the spray solution deliberate? As the calming effect is probably more to do with the viscosity of the sticky solution covering their breathing apparatus and not related to Thymol per se. The amount of Thymol being "delivered" to the bee by this method, is probably so negligible it wouldn't be worthwhile.

Just my 2 cents but hey! if it works why change it?

 

[philipm]

I had one hive a couple of years ago that would go ballistic with even a puff of smoke, I used a sugar water spray which they were happier with.

 

[alfazer]

I use the sugar syrup spray sometimes but I hadn't considered adding thymol.

Bear in mind it could possibly taint the honey if you have supers on, although the quantities are so small, it's doubtful.

 

[Tremyfro]

The thymol was incidental, in this case, as I already had it mixed for when I treated for nosema. The mix is a bit stronger than when you use thymol to prevent mould.
It isn't the thymol I was asking about but the syrup.
Certainly worked for these feisty bees...so I might use it again with them until they are requeened.
Usually we light the smoker when we do an inspection...but it is rarely used..sometimes only for closing up...to clear the edges of the brood box.
No worries about it tainting the honey...what honey???

 

[Helen]

I sometimes use a liquid smoke solution . A quick spray on the frame lugs clears them of bees and makes them easier to pick up.

Also use it if I need a quick check of one hive...too much faff using the smoker.

When I collect swarms, I'll sometimes use a sugar solution spray on them first keep them together and nice.

 

[enrico]

I use smoke but my mentor many years ago would always say why not reward your bees when you open them with sugar spray. That way they look forward to you coming.
Tried it a few times but I hink it is the regular use that might help.

 

[Olivia9801]

I recently read that a reduced water syrup spray helps minimise flighty Bees but it didn't say what they meant by "reduced."

In reading this article it made me feel a 1:1 mix was quite strong for it to be used for this reason?

If others use a weaker water to sugar mix, what ratio do you use?

Regards

 

[REDWOOD]

I know one guy who only sprays hid bees with water, last year he borrowed my spare smoker, on return I asked if it helped and his reply was yes, so the moral of the story is sometimes but when, probably when the preferred method fails