10 Bee Smoker Tips Every Beekeeper Needs to Know
Most smoker problems come down to the same handful of mistakes I've also made: Wrong fuel, wrong technique, wrong gear. These are the ten things I had to learn the hard way so you don't have to.
A dead smoker mid-inspection is one of the most avoidable problems in beekeeping — and one of the most common. I've left the hives before finishing inspections in past years because of this. Whether you're brand new or just fighting your smoker every time you open a hive, these ten tips will fix the problem. Pick the ones that apply to you and put them to work on your next visit!
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Keep the fire going between hives
Your smoker is not a set-it-and-forget-it tool. Give it a puff every 10 minutes whether you need smoke or not. You walk away from it, it dies. Simple as that.
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Light from the bottom, always
I see people stuff the canister full of fuel and torch the top. It flares up for 30 seconds and then it's done. The heat needs to travel upward through the fuel, not out the spout. Start your fire at the bottom and build from there.
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Your fuel needs to be bone dry
Wet fuel is the number one reason your smoker won't catch. If you're collecting natural material, dry it out completely before you even think about using it. Store it somewhere dry and keep it there. (We're talking about newspaper, pine needles, burlap & smoker pellets!)
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Stop buying cheap smokers
I learned this the hard way. If the bellows are weak, you will fight that smoker every single time. Squeeze it and feel strong air coming out of the nozzle. If you don't feel that, the smoker is already working against you. You also don't want the metal parts breaking apart on you. Don't leave your smoker in the rain folks!
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Clean out the air intake
If your smoker lights up and then dies within a few minutes no matter what you do, check the air intake at the bottom. Tar and debris build up in there and the fire starves. Scrape it out and try again.
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Pick a fuel and learn it
Pine, straw, burlap, corrugated cardboard, wood pellets. They all work but they behave differently. Beginners bounce around and never figure out why things go wrong. Pick one, get good at it, then experiment.
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Pack the fuel tighter after you get the fire going
Get a real fire going first. Then pack your mats and use the bellows to push that heat through it. You want smoldering coals, not an open flame. Tight packing is what gives you that long slow smoke.
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Keep your smoker upright
If it tips over or you lay it on its side, the fire will starve and go out. When I set mine down between hives, it stays vertical. That is not negotiable.
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Watch your smoke temperature
Hot smoke with sparks coming out means you need more fuel on top to cool it down and filter it. You are trying to calm your bees, not cook them. Cool white smoke is what you are after. If your smoke is coming out too hot, try adding some wet grass to the top.
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Fuel your smoker before you open a single hive
Have your smoker fully loaded, fully lit, and producing good smoke before you even walk up to the first hive. Scrambling to relight mid-inspection with bees in the air is a situation you do not want to be in.