Smoker

[Curley]

I use rotten wood but do find it burns down quite quickly (probably because using a v cheap smoker which possibly doesn't fit together as well as it should. The bees seem to prefer the rotten wood smoke to that from egg boxes. Also that bunch of grass in the smoker spout may cool the smoke down for a while but i reckon it does reduce the chance of ash/sparks going into the hive, acting as a trap.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It came out in the talk he gave at the WBKA convention that Clive De Bruyn prefers dried elephant turds when he can get it

Yeah yeah....he's a bit of a showman though...eh?

I like dried rotten wood....silver birch is best to which I add Lavender flowers and stalks, Rosemary leaves, Bay leaves and dried orange peel

 

[Robbo8916]

Yeah yeah....he's a bit of a showman though...eh?

I like dried rotten wood....silver birch is best to which I add Lavender flowers and stalks, Rosemary leaves, Bay leaves and dried orange peel

Are you sure you're not making pot pourri?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are you sure you're not making pot pourri?

Sounds like it doesn't it.
Smells wonderful though ........wafting around me as I look into the bees. I hardly ever puff it on the bees or into the hive though. I tried Dusty's church incense and that's nice too

 

[andyphibb]

start with clean cardboard and dry rotten wood off a fallen tree and old dry tree bark

 

[alfazer]

I would guess tobacco is good if it wasn't so expensive. A lot of the old photos of beekeepers in the past show them smoking a pipe and there's often no sign of a bee smoker.

 

[bpmurray]

I use dried grass, although there isn't much this year - haven't had a need to cut the grass yet. In its absence I use pine shavings, but I find that these put a load of soot and tar in the smoker, and it's very harsh smoke in comparison to the grass.

 

[chrisb]

I would guess tobacco is good if it wasn't so expensive. A lot of the old photos of beekeepers in the past show them smoking a pipe and there's often no sign of a bee smoker.

I have seen an advert in the states for smoker fuel that is dried tobacco leaves, obviously the naff stuff, it is said to be very good.
no chance of it over here with health and safety regs

 

[Swarm]

One of the suppliers sells a tobacco product. Maybe try a quality Habano accompanied by some Latino music.

 

[chrisb]

will look into that, if all else fails a good Cuban cigar.
will last for ages just use it to poke them out of the way

 

[Millet]

Strips of roofing felt fire more smoke out like Stephensons Rocket .

However i do not use that in my smoker a pile of dried grass collected in a hessian sack in Autumn smokes well with pine wood shaving mixed in, saying that though i am not a fan of smoking bees from the way it changes there aggression, this is my first season by the way so newbies ignore me.

 

[Hivemaker.]

no chance of it over here with health and safety regs

Many of the bee equipment supply places in this country used to sell tobacco for use in bee smokers, it was one of the things used in the early days to detect for varroa.

Some still sell it....http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/smokers-smoker-fuel/tobacco-stalks/

Was also good for knocking down Braula.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/smofuel.html


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27652

 

[meath]

died out cow dung, collected from the meadows. smells like grass and low temp.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Pretty fond of using second cut hay...square bales. Good, cool, smoke. Burns a bit fast unless you pack the smoker tight. I probably use 10 bales during the bee season, and I have to use something that is cheap and available in bulk.

 

[chrisb]

with the number of hives you have MP I do not blame you.
must go through smokers and hive tools by the truck load

 

[misterbee82]

Today one of our members with our club came over to transfer
our nuc to our langstroth hive, he chose a different method of a smoker.
It's a squirt bottle with liquid smoke. I believe this isn't as intrusive
to the bees because your not burning anything. Just a thought. Your
opinions?

 

[Brigsy]

Today one of our members with our club came over to transfer

our nuc to our langstroth hive, he chose a different method of a smoker.

It's a squirt bottle with liquid smoke. I believe this isn't as intrusive

to the bees because your not burning anything. Just a thought. Your

opinions?

Didn't you want to install it yourself?

 

[taurus]

I guess that's the similar (or same) to the stuff they use on the Beehaus video, I seem to remember reading someone on here making a comment to the effect that it's spraying chemicals over the bees - basically wasn't in favour of it.

The people I've seen working on hive, who instinct tells me seem to work well with bees, use as little smoke as possible.

The other thing I saw for the first time last weekend was someone using an inspection cloth, which reduced the need for smoke considerably and kept the hive warmer.

 

[YorkshireBees]

...
The other thing I saw for the first time last weekend was someone using an inspection cloth, which reduced the need for smoke considerably and kept the hive warmer.

The problem with an inspection cloth is the possible transfer of disease, for people that are concerned by this.

I have never tried one personally and try to use as little smoke if any. I have used a fine spray of water instead of smoke but never anything else such as liquid smoke.

 

[Plenty of honey]

I just use dried strimmed grass. I am usually strimming three our four times a week, so if we get a dry spell, i go back to clients and rake up a few bags. Its free and an endless supply!! The only down side is you need to clean or burn off the tarry stuff you get building up in the smoker. The blow torch does this pretty well.
I am going to try some Tansy leaves this year, sowing the seeds as soon as I've fixed my greenhouse roof!! Now where was that silicon gun......