# outlandish question for bee folks



## ke4mcl (Apr 19, 2016)

so here's a crazy question..

i like to smoke cigars. i do it outdoors on the porch usually. it never fails some rogue bee will be attracted TO the cigar smoke and buzz the hell out of me. what gives? i thought bees were wired to treat smoke as a sign of danger. i have no hive i'm aware of anywhere on my property.


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

Just a guess here, but I'm thinking that smoke threatens their hive. And since you are not near a hive the sweetness of your cigar may be attracting a curious bee looking for a new food source?


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

You never can tell with bees. I recently dyed my hair blue - the dang bees suddenly wouldn't leave me alone when I'm gardening. Like dive bombing me. Put some vanilla extract on my bandana (figuring it was something about the smell of the dye, which is quite persistent) and now they leave me alone. Cigar smoke doesn't smell like wood smoke - some hive has clearly decided that it smells nice. Bees are mysterious.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Is it a Carpenter Bee?

It could be it's just hanging around the porch and you only notice them when you're smoking a cigar


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