What do you use for smoker fuel

[Freon11]

I have been using pine needles for smoker fuel , but it seems to excite the girls a little , any suggestions?

[Hambone]

I use pine needles and they are great. You may be using to much smoke.

[Josh Carmack]

Are puffing it on them, or blasting it on them. You don't want them to feel the hot air from the fire can. Let the smoke genty roll over them.

[Chick]

Pine needles are great, just don't pump the bellows too fast. It makes the smoke too hot and makes the bees mad.

[Chick]

I like burlap and old cotton from shirts and jeans, as well as the pine needles.

[Beeslave]

bailing twine

[bhfury]

I have been using pine needles for smoker fuel , but it seems to excite the girls a little , any suggestions?

use juniper bark... nice heavy cool smoke... a guy southeast of here claims it will even kill varroa mites. I like the stuff.

[EastSideBuzz]

I use the leftovers from making frames split into slivers. I add some firestarter gel and let it burn for 15 minutes or so and It smokes like crazy. Might add some pine needles or leaves to kick it up a notch.

[beevet]

I like bailing twine but I loop it several times and tie it in a not to form a semi-tight ball about 3" across. Very good smoke that way and lights quickly. For a long smoke, I add the wood stove pellets and a bolus of tightly rolled burlap. The pellets smolder but they don't make a lot of smoke.

Smoker fuel is like underwear. Everyone thinks their brand is the best. The truth is, no two beeks in the world use their smokers the same way. There are too many variables. You need to experiment and see what fuel combination works best in your hands. It took me forever to settle in on a fuel that I like and it may not work for you at all. There is a resturaunt nearby that feeds peanuts to their customers and they throw the shells on the floor. I go in on Saturday night and sweep the floors for them and get a months worth of peanut shells. They smoke great on a smoldering bolus.

It's ok to be creative as long as you use natural product. Most anything synthetic will produce toxic fumes.

[EastSideBuzz]

There is a resturaunt nearby that feeds peanuts to their customers and they throw the shells on the floor. I go in on Saturday night and sweep the floors for them and get a months worth of peanut shells. They smoke great on a smoldering bolus.


Nice. :thumbsup:

[indypartridge]

This question gets asked fairly regularly - here's a few more suggestions:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230755&highlight=smoker+fuel

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231524&highlight=smoker+fuel

[g.gill]

I live in North Carolina.... Pine needles... we have some much of the stuff they bail it up and send to other states. :D

[Parke County Queen]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried putting a few drops of essential oils in their smoker? Wonder what would happen??

[jdpro5010]

Burlap most of the time but pine needles when I can find them.:popcorn:

[scdw43]

Pine needles work for me. I don't use smoke most of the time. If I am taking supers off I use a little to drive the bees down, but very little.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

pine needles or hay, don't blast them!

[jhs494]

We have used pine needles but when we do we moisten a piece of cotton
t-shirt material and place it on top after the smoker is lit and it helps cool the smoke. It acts like a filter.
Currently we are trying pet bedding. The kind that is not dyed or treated, mixed with cedar shavings. It seems to burn longer and cooler. JMTC

[RonSarge]

I use sumac (dried one winter). I use alittle lint from the clothes dryer filter to get it started.

[the kid]

if you use bale twine ,, be sure it not the treated stuff ,, some twine is treated so it will not rot
I like wood chips ,I get them free ,, and even if I had to buy them I would still use them

[SPRUCE BEE]

I use the fine grass hay that drops off the bales in the barn. Nice & fine, lights easily. I pack it in tight after I get the smoker going good. It will ususally last long enough to go through 20-30 quick inspections adding supers & probably 10 complete hive inspections before I have to add a little more.

I just keep a 5 gallon bucket full with a lid on it at all of my yards. A little condensation in the bucket makes it even better, lasts long & lots of cool smoke. Cheap & readily available.:)

SPRUCE BEE