How to Light a Bee Smoker Key Features, Best Fuel and Smokeless Options

[@robertshorthill6836]

Fred, I used a basic smoker from Dadant for over 20 years with no trouble at at all. I used dry horse manure almost all those years. It was superior to any other fuel. Burned cool, smelled sweet and kept the bees calm. Alas, I no longer keep bees, but I fondly remember the good old days.

[@FrederickDunn]

Dried manure definitely works nice if you can get it :) Thanks for sharing!

[@reddivrbob]

Just finished watching this episode on smokers and options. Good information. Here in my county in Washington State, summer from early July thru mid-September during burn bans, if it creates ash it's not to be used. Not sure who figured it out, but a smoker less option many of us have transitioned to is a quart spray bottle with one bottle of 'Wrights Liquid Smoke' then filled with water. Set sprayer to mist and simply spray in front of entrance and above hive, but not directly onto bees. The effect is very similar to using a smoker.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for sharing how you've adapted to that ash-ban. Much appreciated.

[@schammond8993]

Just got my Betterbee smoker. It's August 24,24. The wire included with the smoker is used to hold the upper outlet grate in place so pellets won't fall out when you tilt the smoker. They must have been watching you Fred. Mine had a tips and tricks page included. The explanation is at the bottom of the page. Good video. I finally have a quality smoker. Thanks

[@FrederickDunn]

Aha! So that explains it :) You're right, that wasn't in the description before :)

[@schammond8993]

@@FrederickDunn Wow, a company with customer service that pays attention. 👏 A new concept 😂 Thanks again Fred, love the smoker.

[@rd8719]

Thanks for the switchgrass pellet tip. As a new beekeeper it’s nice not to worry about having my smoker go out. I will be ordering a couple more bags just to have them in stock when I grow my apiary.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome, and thank you for your support :)

[@tonyandric4380]

Choosing a quality smoker is probably the #1 priority tool as a beekeeper, in my opinion. My smoker fuel of choice...cow pies. Easy to start with the torch, burns very cool, burns all day, and the cows give me an endless supply! (just don't collect any after a rain!). I do appreciate the oven cleaner idea, I'll give it a try.

[@FrederickDunn]

I'm also a fan of those cow-chips! And even the chunks of grass from under the mower deck once they dry out completely. Our neighbor no longer has cattle, so it's grass now. The grass has a strong smell that the pellets don't have, but you just can't beat free fuel that works!

[@autumnhillbees]

Great Video!! I got a smoker from son this past Christmas and it was an Amazon special and I have been fighting keeping it lit. I was looking for a NEW smoker and thanks to this video, I will be getting the one from BetterBee!! I will also be getting some SwitchGrass!! Thanks for doing what you do!!

[@thehiveandthehoneybee9547]

he got me to!!!! same same!!!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for the support. I'm glad I came across the BetterBee "Professional" smoker. It's a fast-favorite. If I can keep my grandson from nicking it! Smokers are worth the investment since I've actually never worn one out.

[@beguileme8201]

I can attest the SwitchGrass pellets they sell work great!

[@Huntnlady7]

Excellent review! My mentor taught me to keep a bottle of HEET carburetor cleaner and matches with my smoker in a zinc bucket; and yeah, he also taught me about the wine cork, but we were in Napa County, so they weren't too hard to come by. Nowadays, I'll have to invest in that smoke gadget. Thanks.

[@kennith.]

The leather holster for the spray bottle looks awesome. Ready of the fast draw. Thanks Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

I have to say that I do appreciate that convenience :)

[@tommywise1702]

We love the smoker pellets. Cool smoke and plenty of it. The new smoker from Flow Hive is working very well. Thanks for the video.

[@FrederickDunn]

That's great news! Thank you for taking a moment to share.

[@thehiveandthehoneybee9547]

Uncle Fred!!! I wasnt going to watch this one but glad I stopped an d did!!!! learned a thing or two here. I guess thats why YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!! and Im down 100 bucks for that smoker and ordered them pellets!!!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Glad to see your comment as always, thanks for watching :)

[@richardfield225]

Thanks for the great information. I will be passing the video along.

[@FrederickDunn]

You are very welcome, thanks for watching :)

[@BrianCooper901]

I like the ML smoker with the Pro-Bellow because it has a good stand off on the bottom. We use it on a roof top and it helps keep things from melting just in case we set it on the roof surface. I do wish it had a spark arrestor. I always use my torch to burn the cresote from my smoker, just keep the heat on it until it catches on fire sort of like a controlled chimney fire. After it burns itself out you can just scrape off the ash with your hive tool or a wire brush. Great overview of the options Fred thanks for sharing!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for sharing what you use and how much you liked it. :) Great tips!

[@saf729]

Thanks for the smoker lesson. I'm looking forward to trying the switch grass.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome :)

[@marobroski2286]

Dziękujemy.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your generosity :)

[@oneeyehives]

I got a bag of the switchgrass fuel. It can be a bear to get going in my uses. I rarely use smoke and never need it for more than a particular hive so I’m definitely going to try the toilet paper roll trick. I found that the silicone wine corks work great in the smoker tips. Loved the Go-Go Gadget belt 😂

[@FrederickDunn]

Yes, a silicone stopper would also work out nicely :) Thanks for sharing!

[@29Megs]

Hey Fred, I cleaned my smoker a few days ago and found that an overnight soak in a water/vinegar solution worked well to soften the creosote. The thing that forced me to quit procrastinating was the buildup around the lid ring. I’ve been using a cork to smother the smoker but I’ve since switched to an old method which involves a single sheet of paper under the lid of the smoker. The side benefit is that the lid’s seal stays fairly free of creosote buildup. Thanks for the video.

[@michelearmstrong4060]

Can you explain that more. I hate when the rim gets so sticky with creosote

[@thehiveandthehoneybee9547]

paper what???? say more about that ok?

[@FrederickDunn]

Thanks for your comment! I should have suggested that people open their smokers after they are cooling down so the lids don't stick. But, you can warm them with your torch as you prepare to re-light them the next time. Thanks for sharing.

[@gallowaylights]

​@@FrederickDunn* You kept lid on that tip... sorry... could not resist 😂

[@saintjohncoleman8602]

After watching this video I decided to use my $50 Flow gift code to upgrade to the Flow smoker. Thanks for the review.

[@FrederickDunn]

They are nice for sure :)

[@Darren_Nicola]

Really good video ,

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you, Darren! It's great to always see your comments :)

[@Darren_Nicola]

@@FrederickDunn thank you 😀

[@marktechsci]

Thanks Fred. I’m still on the fence between a regular smoker (I have a decent one, PITA) and the vape one (Apisolis). Sugar water / HBHealthy combo didn’t work out well for me as a smoke replacement.

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome! Sugar syrup and HBH can be hit and miss. If I had to get into the same hive often, I use the sugar syrup and they recognize that scent right away as they rise to the top bars and extend their tongues. That's a feel-good method that I often get away with. If they are at all defensive, you'll want some smoke handy. :)

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Thanks Fred!

[@FrederickDunn]

You're very welcome, Rodney :)

[@richardfield225]

Location, Location, Location! In South Florida our favorite fuel is banana leaves. It generates a thick cool smoke, lasts a long time, and turns the chore of trimming unsightly dead leaves into the harvest of a useful byproduct. But I don't think that it compares with the switchgrass pellets for longevity! One question though: I have tried and quickly rejected hardwood pellet stove pellets because they threw too many sparks. If your smoker does not have a spark arrestor, how well do these compressed grass pellets do at not throwing off sparks in use? Thanks for all the education that you do Fred.

[@FrederickDunn]

The switch grass pellets don't spew sparks even when you really puff them. Maybe if there was more air movement through them you could get some, but not in normal use. The wood stove pellets do get much hotter and produce less smoke.

[@TeddyC-32963]

I don’t have bees to try this but I wonder how alfalfa pellets would do in a smoker🤔 What set off your bee hive motion censor @ 13.40. Looking forward to this afternoons weekly Friday video👍🏼

[@FrederickDunn]

Aha, you're the first to comment on the motion alarm. My chickens were walking through the upper apiary :) Alfalfa pellets that I've had in the past are much smaller and tighter packed... but could be worth a try. I fed those to my Australian Emu as part of their mix. Smaller, tighter, and dry, let me know if you try them out :)

[@jmom5735]

How do you have swarms in August!?!?! Jealous that you get all the fun! ❤️🐝🐝 in Northern IL

[@FrederickDunn]

Ok, that was a pure coincidence. I was setting up for my smoker review when those rascals showed up in that tree. Then, they re-arranged themselves on a branch that is just 5 feet from the ground as if to say "do you have a hive ready for us?" Well, they are well situated now and I'll use them as comb builders. :)

[@ChickaBees]

Thanks!

[@FrederickDunn]

You're welcome :)

[@johnmenocal1633]

What tool do you recommend to clean the ports on the smoke arrestor and other ports in the smoker? Thanks!!

[@FrederickDunn]

Rutland Creosote Remover, Fireplace, Wood Stove & Chimney Cleaner. Just sprinkle some of this into your still-hot smoker and it turns it all to ash and you just blow it out.

[@jasonseaward8506]

Can they ship the pellets to Canada?

[@FrederickDunn]

You can ask, but I think it's the weight of the box that would make that cost prohibitive.

[@jasonseaward8506]

@@FrederickDunn thank you so much for your response. I was just wondering because it sounds like a great product and a great cause. Thank you so much for all that you do and all the info you share

[@oneeyehives]

You said about sugar water with honey bee healthy has a longer shelf life. What has been your experience on viable usage time? That is my primary use and always have poured out any that was left which is usually a lot. Side note I just got the Mesto sprayer and it is by far the best sprayer I’ve ever used and a fine spray and even upside down.

[@FrederickDunn]

I load my sprayers in spring with HBH and use them throughout summer. So I get six months out of them without changing out. With just sugar syrup, I have to clear that out in less than 14 days.

[@michaelhansen6481]

👍

[@robertmathurin739]

🇱🇨👍🏽❤️

[@gallowaylights]

00:22:19 Isn't that how Centralia the Town in Pennsylvania got started? I'm kidding. But I'm always afraid of setting off another one! 🫣

[@FrederickDunn]

I am fascinated by the history of that town. I've often wanted to go there and just take photos. Unhealthy air there so I'm told :) Equally creepy to come back hours later and find what I dumped out on the ground to be still smouldering. (';')( ';')...

[@gallowaylights]

@FrederickDunn * You almost forgot why everyone left... then you see a random seam venting. Some never left. It's so interesting that during the virus thing, one road was filled with hundreds of dirt piles to stop people from enjoying it!🤔

[@tommychew6544]

That came to my mind immediately when he said bury it also but, you beat me to punch. I guess the chance of a shallow coal seam would be pretty slim though.

[@gallowaylights]

@@tommychew6544 * scary thoughts think alike 🤔