Beekeeping - Lighting a Bee Smoker

[Voodoozeko]

I didnt use any smoker at all until recently but now grandma bought me one but i havent tried it yet  anyway i heard u can use mushrooms for fuel as well.

[sholt905]

I like to use cotton balls to start mine, thay ingnite almost like gas, great job on the video, take a look at my video and see what i am talking about. Smoker fuel is made of cotton so i use cotton balls,(I live on a farm with cotton so it is cheap to me) agin great job starting the smoker

[PrimaTechnology]

The best material for a smoker is empty egg cartons and some dry leaves, they're so good at the job!

[warre78]

I use the dryed fruits of the 'Rhus typhina' ... i pick them in january / february ... after litting the smoker with a newspaper i pop a few of them in the can and it lasts a good time ... just saying : )

[steelescotland]

Is there a high incidence of lung cancer in Beekeeping ? By the looks of all that smoke it cant be good for you.

[accountabilabuddy1]

Now that's some smoke! I'm using pine needles, and animal bedding (clean) also made from pine.

[cornwallav8r]

Second that! I keep my propane torch handy, since I ran out of burlap! Leaves do not work so well. I did the soup can mod, adding a can inside a can mod, and it only helped marginally. No replacement for the right fuel.

[bigbeehoney]

Hi folks,

Lighting a smoker is often a big pain in the neck...it often starts then promptly goes out when it is needed! I now use pine shavings that I collect when I plane a piece of wood. I was using rolled up cardboard but it often lit then went out...I got frustrated one time and through it on the ground as I figure it wasn't lit only to have it start a bloody grass fire and burn my little storage trailer that I used to store beekeeping equipment...shit!!!