Honeybee 'Scents'...Some of their Likes and Dislikes

Honeybees can be very picky about some things...especially the way things smell. Seeing as how they have a tendency to be happy around aromas they like, but sting with a vengeance when scents they don't like are present, it is best to pay attention to these things!

First of all, they like the smell of anise, bee balm, lemon balm, and lemon grass. These have an attracting, calming affect on them, and have been used for centuries when working with bees to lure them or to get them to settle in a new hive. The lemon aromas mimic the scent of the queen bee pheromone.

Bananas...honeybees hate bananas! Don't eat a banana before working your bees, as it aggravates them. This is because again, it mimics a pheromone. This time, however, it mimics the alarm pheromone, and alarmed bees are no fun to play with!

Wool...do not wear wool when working with bees. It really ticks them off! I know a beekeeper who once wore wool socks when he was working his bees and they stung the daylights out of his ankles. No matter how much the material is washed after it leaves the sheep, the bees know it came from an animal and will think that the animal is attacking their hive, and react accordingly.

Sweat...bees don't like the presence of sweat, either. A drop of sweat falling into the hive will tick them off, but really...who can blame them? Many beekeepers wear a sweatband to prevent this from happening. With all the protective equipment added to the fact that it is usually a warm day when working the bees, the presence of sweat is kind of unavoidable...but it is manageable.

Perfume...not a good idea. Not necessarily because the bees hate it, but because it attracts them as they try to find out where the flower is. This is generally not a pleasant experience for the large human flower.

Here's to using good 'scents' while working your honeybees!