Smoker.

Today was the day for removing the miticide from the hives; this year the weapon of choice was Amitraz (sold as Apivar to bee keepers). It’s a chemical that attacks the mites on several fronts so that the mite is unlikely to develop a resistance to it. However, bee keepers are good at ignoring instructions on medicines, as are the rest of the human race, evidenced by those who have died from inhalation of fumes after vaporising oxalic acid and the resistance the mite has developed to the early pyrethroid (a.k.a. sheep dip) treatment that was so successful in the ‘90s.
 
The mite is a parasite of the developing brood and, since the chemical cannot permeate wax, it only works on the mites after its host brood has emerged from its pupa and before it has a chance to enter the next generation of brood a few days later. Consequently, the chemical is left in the hive for two to three brood cycles (6-9 weeks); too short a time and it isn’t fully effective, too long and it increases the chances of immunity developing. If the bee inspector calls, I need to be able to show him my records that detail when the treatment was applied and when it was removed. Although I know the gentleman in question, he has never appeared with the intention of interrogating me.
 
The bee suit and gloves that I wore for the operation were purely because me being stung complicates the operation, today it was worth doing; while the smoker was needed for encourage the bees back indoors so that I could put lid back on the last hive.