How to Light a Bee Smoker

Keeping Your Smoker Lit Throughout the Beehive Inspection

Promoted by Miller Bee Supply

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Today we are going to show you how to light a bee smoker to perform a beehive inspection.

Start with a fistful of shavings and place them in the smoker. I use a long lighter to light my flame.

You can use many types of fuel in your smoker. We use untreated, new pine shavings. We keep hens on our property for eggs so we generally have the shavings on hand to serve as bedding for chickens.

The first goal is to get a nice flame on the shavings. That takes some time and some patience. Fan the fire to build up the flame. Be careful, you don’t want to get burned as the flame grows.

Again, it’s best to be patient and let the flame establish itself. Don’t rush the process. You don’t want your smoker to go out mid-inspection.

bee-hive-smoker

When you have a good flame going, layer on more fuel. Now we don’t want to make an even bigger flame. We just want to keep the bottom hot so it makes the wood smolder.

By filling up my smoker, you are accomplishing two things:

The first purpose is to give us plenty of fuel for a full inspection.

The second purpose is to filter the heat so the smoke is coming out cool. This is important so we don’t burn the bees.

Now close your smoker and go to the hives for your inspection.

2 thoughts on “How to Light a Bee Smoker”
  1. I use Norfolk Island pine needles rolled up in cardboard with some lavender tied up with hemp string. The cardboard lights quite easily, which lights thr pine. You can make a few of these, different sizes according to how long the bee job is. When one is nearly burnt you just add another. Mox .

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