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Why do beekeepers use smoke when working with honeybees?

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bees on a honeycomb — Beekeeping Bees on a honeycomb.

Beekeepers use a bee smoker as a standard tool in beekeeping to quell the bees. By blowing smoke into the hive, the beekeeper can calm the colony, making it easier and safer to perform necessary tasks such as inspecting frames or manipulating hive parts.12