Fear

[REDWOOD]

I have been reading a bit about bees senses and was wondering if bees can sense fear which might explain why so many new beekeepers get more than their fare share of stings

 

[enrico]

I reckon they can, the more confident I get over the years the less stings I get.....could be a number of other reasons but......
E

 

[hiveabee]

I think its because, as we get more confident when we are attending to our bee's, we are not clumsy as most new keepers tend to be. So as we get more experience the less concern we are to the hive.

 

[SixFooter]

I reckon they can, the more confident I get over the years the less stings I get.....could be a number of other reasons but......
E

I get fewer stings now, but I think the main reason is experience, not confidence so much. I use a lot less smoke. I don't smoke before opening the hive and I don't lift up the roof and puff smoke in. I was taught to smoke the entrance before opening the hive and I now think this is the wrong thing to do. It gets the bees to move up then you smoke them down again! I also have a better sense of how the bees are reacting to the inspection and respond myself. Some of it may be confidence, but mostly experience and skill. And the good thing is that all those stings in previous years have left me immune - well
mostly

 

[hiveabee]

I get fewer stings now, but I think the main reason is experience, not confidence so much. I use a lot less smoke. I don't smoke before opening the hive and I don't lift up the roof and puff smoke in. I was taught to smoke the entrance before opening the hive and I now think this is the wrong thing to do. It gets the bees to move up then you smoke them down again! I also have a better sense of how the bees are reacting to the inspection and respond myself. Some of it may be confidence, but mostly experience and skill. And the good thing is that all those stings in previous years have left me immune - well
mostly

Think the key word maybe SKILL

 

[mbc]

Think the key word maybe SKILL

Indeed, as your Jedi skills improve, you become more atuned to the force, and of course, bees are an intrinsic part of the force, hic ! Just ask the postman.

 

[lebouche]

I have been reading a bit about bees senses and was wondering if bees can sense fear which might explain why so many new beekeepers get more than their fare share of stings

I've only got stung being chased by angry guard bees I think...I think being gentle and careful is the most important thing. Then again I'm only a beginner.

 

[hiveabee]

Indeed, as your Jedi skills improve, you become more atuned to the force, and of course, bees are an intrinsic part of the force, hic ! Just ask the postman.

May the parcel force bee with you

 

[Travelator]

Since bee society revolves around scents and pheromones, it seems very likely to me that they can smell fear on humans.

The interesting question is: do they recognise it as such and do they actually care? I would guess that the reason fearful people get stung is that they tend to make sudden movements. I've been quite stressed and frightened for one reason or another whilst working with bees and I haven't noticed them reacting to it as long as I keep moving slowly and gently.

 

[luckyclover]

http://evolution.anthro.univie.ac.at/institutes/urbanethology/resources/articles/articles/publications/NEL230202R03scent.pdf

Interesting question. I would say yes they probably can smell fear but do you see them targeting newcomers standing beside a hive or the person presenting the biggest threat to them with their hands in the hive?
Slower more confident manipulations, less bee squashing or juddering of frames, not casting your shadow over the frames etc would help. Carbon dioxide from your breath would also be a target if you are panicked and puffing more than usual.