Lighting Your Beekeeper's Smoker

A guide showing how to light a bee smoker and get the cool white smoke that beekeepers desire.

5 from 2 votes

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Ignite Starter Fuel
Take a small amount of starter material (loose dry pine needles or cardboard-bits of egg carton etc) and light one end with your fire source.
Once the flame is set, quickly toss the burning material into the fire chamber of your smoker. Gently pump the bellows a few times – this fans the flame with oxygen.
Add more fuel and pump bellows
Add a few more pieces of loose material and continue to gently pump the bellows. Be patient, if you rush you may have to start over.
The fire should grow larger and be burning well in the bottom of the chamber. Add a bit more fuel and use your hive tool to push it down. Don't pack it too tight before the fire is established.
Packing more fuel
Once you have a good fire (flames) going in the bottom, it is time to add more fuel. Our goal is to have a fire in the bottom with smoldering materials on top.
This material will eventually feed the fire below and it also protects the bees from hot smoke.
Add a small handful of pine needles (or other material) – use your hive tool to firmly pack the fuel.
If you pack it too hard, your fire will go out and you have to start over. But, fuel packed close together creates the smoldering white smoke that we want. I usually fill my smoker about 3/4 full.
Close top and pump
Close the top and pump the bellows. You should have have cool, white smoke coming out of the nozzle.
If you have several hives, you may need to add more fuel to the fire chamber after a while.

Where there is smoke - there is fire. Be careful to avoid burns or causing unintentional fires with your smoker.
Do not use chemicals in your smoker.

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