# Starter fuel for bee smoker



## Panhandle Scott (Jul 11, 2009)

I think the fumes produced by the insta light types of charcoal would poison the bees. The charcoal is infused with lighter type fluid. I know you said that you would let them burn down but do you really know for certain that all of the chemicals have been eliminated.

I would use wood stove pellets, they are cheap and are safer for the bees.


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## Live Oak (Oct 11, 2008)

I roll up a tight wad of pine needles and shove them in the smoker and then follow up with dry tree bark, wood sticks, and stems shoved into the pine needles. The pine needles get going pretty fast and don't last as long but they get the woody pieces burning and the smoker lasts a good long time and produces good thick smoke. 

I use a several puffs on the guard bees at the entrance which pretty much takes out their ability to sound the alarm and communicate and then a few good puffs at each opening I make in the hive as I lift up the boxes. This seems to keep the commotion down to a minimum.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I just use pine needles. They start right up with a lighter, & burn a long time.
Sometimes I toss a few pellets on top when I light the needles. Then add more needles to fill the smoker.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Most often, I get a paper towel blazing and then sprinkle pine pet bedding into the smoker. I progressively add more pine chips.

I wouldn't use any type of charcoal.


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## sevenmmm (Mar 5, 2011)

How about cut up cotton sheet?


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## tandemrx (Dec 1, 2010)

Wax paper is a nice starter. Gives me an excuse to buy a donut when I go to grocery store, they always have those waxed paper bags to put them in. I eat the donut, bag goes in my smoker pail. Throw some pine needles on top, then some wood pellets on top of that and I have had good luck (and most importantly I get a donut).


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## BugBoy (Mar 16, 2011)

I use hamster bedding wood shavings. It smells great, but doesn't really last long. I have so much of it left over, so why throw it out?  I wouldn't use charcoal briquettes either, I can only imagine how the bees would feel.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

wbrady said:


> I'd like people's opiions on mybe using charcoal briquettes designed for a bbq smoker, the match light type, to use as starter fuel in the bee smoker to get it going, then add main smoker fuels on top of the hot coals. The hot coals would just be to keep it smoldering. The charcoal is desgned for use with food, which makes me think it might be safe for the bees too -- the additives have been burned off before it would be used near the bees and there's nothing left then but the hot coals.


Why would you do that anyways? There are much better ways to light a smoker. I have gotten smokers to go though the night on wood stove pellets- AKA kitty litter pellets in the south....
Right now i run pine needles, pellets, and cedar shavings...
mike


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

KQ6AR said:


> I just use pine needles


I get tired of smelling like burnt pine needles. Really penetrates the clothing.


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## jal_ut (Jul 22, 2010)

The fuel I like is burlap. Used to get burlap bags from animal feed, but it is all packaged in paper or plastic now days. I love it when I can find some old burlap bags. I will buy a couple yards of new burlap when I get hard up. News paper to get it going.


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

tandemrx said:


> Gives me an excuse to buy a donut when I go to grocery store, they always have those waxed paper bags to put them in. I eat the donut, bag goes in my smoker pail. (and most importantly I get a donut).


 And wife cant figure out why being outdoors all the time you still gained 10 extra lbs. since you started beekeeping......:lpf:


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## Cahillbilly (Mar 31, 2011)

I have always used wornout jeans. Cut them in about 7" lengths
and then cut the ends about 2" wide and about 4" up. That makes
them light easy and just push them in and your ready to go. I
usually stick a few pieces in my pocket in case I need more. Try
it I think You will like it.


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## Bear Creek Steve (Feb 18, 2009)

I hike a lot in the mountains and always keep an eye out for very rotten downed tree trunks. Often bring back a packfull. When dried they make an excellent smoke. Second choice is 3X6 inch strips of old cotton blue jeans - got lots of 'em. Both start easily with a small piece of newspaper. I find pine needles burn too rapidly and too hot, but lots of beeks use them. Burlap is great too but some beeks are concerned about what the brulap may have been treated with in its previous use.

Steve


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## mrsl (Apr 21, 2010)

I use pine needles & pine cones - they are free and work really well.


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## alicelee428 (Jun 3, 2008)

I use pine needles...have plenty for free on my property. To get things going, I use the paper that foundation is wrapped in!

I had purchased these cotton cylinders from one of the beekeeping suppliers, but I really disliked them---hard to keep burning and smelled awful. Also, the smoke from the cotton things seemed to irritate my bees and make them more aggressive.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

That's the smell of beekeeping in Florida. It's like -- you've been out to the hives!


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## dgale (Sep 8, 2009)

jal_ut said:


> The fuel I like is burlap. Used to get burlap bags from animal feed, but it is all packaged in paper or plastic now days. I love it when I can find some old burlap bags. I will buy a couple yards of new burlap when I get hard up. News paper to get it going.


I use burlap as well - we have lots of places around us that roast coffee beans, so all I have to do is swing by one of those places and they are always happy to give me a big burlap coffee bean bag. I cut it up in pieces and I'm all set for quite some time. I can light the burlap directly with a lighter and it burns steadily and won't put itself out. Great stuff and easy to find free (at least around my parts)


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## Apiator (Apr 8, 2011)

Hmm... think I just heard a use for all that cedar sawdust I generate building hives.


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

I use pine or spruce sticks that are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter and about as long as the smoker is deep. I have a lot of trees around and can cut a bunch of dead branches in just a few minutes. Fill the smoker, light up the old propane torch, apply to wood for a minute, and you're set.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I use cardboard rolled up to a dia that fits into the smoker. Light it with a butane grill lighter. It is easy to light and it never goes out. Roll it up in your hand and light the center. When it gets flaming good shove it in the smoker and the flames go out and smokes like crazy.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

That could be a new form of treatment - smoking bees and mites with the formaldehyde glue in cardboard. I would not want to try it with honey supers on.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I can assure you I am not the only one that uses cardboard. All smoking no matter what the fuel could be considered treatment if you are into splitting hairs. The burning of leaves, twigs, pine needles, rags, yarn etc. all produce toxic fumes.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Start with enough newspaper to get some small chunks of cardboard flaming, then begin to throw in wood pellets a handful at a time while puffing the smoker to get them flaming good, top with some green grass or anything damp and porous to keep the pellets from falling out the top and you are good to go for most of the day. Pine needles make nice short term smoke though they need to be a bit damp. Used to use burlap for years, good stuff but hard to find at times. Man I wish I could get ahold of some of those coffee bean bags maybe it would help me cut back on my morning ritual.


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## Karl (Jun 18, 2002)

Burlap is my first choice and old denim my second. Lucky to have a coffee roasting company nearby which gives away the large bags the coffee is shipped in. Wad of newspaper to start then add either burlap or denim. Denim is really a good way to use up those old worn out jeans.


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## FarmerJ (Feb 23, 2011)

I crumple up a 1/4 sheet of newspaper and light it up, topped with a bunch of aspen bedding chips for the chinchilla


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

Paper towel starter, strips of old cotton t-shirts on top. Smolders a LONG time and is relatively cool smoke. I do try to avoid the picture part of t-shirts just in case the ink is noxious...


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Sorry to throw a tangent with the word treatment. A lot of people do not provide enough ventilation and food for Winter and wonder why their hives die. A lot of people direct release their first queen and are perplexed when she flys off. A lot of people run more than 3 pollination contracts a year and don't understand why their losses are over 20 percent. My Dad always said - if all your friends dumped poison in their hives, would you? Great reasoning!
I used to use burlap when everything came in burlap. Now I am also leary of chemicals they use to keep things from rotting before they get to market. I would always rather have natural things, just as my bees do, just ask my wife, all natural!


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

http://perrone.blogs.com/horticultural/2008/02/i-recently-had.html


> "The type of cardboard you describe does not usually contain glue as it is made from cellulose fibres which stick together naturally. It is a great addition to your compost heap or can be used for mulching."


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Do not believe everything you read in blogs. Cardboard is such an EPA nightmare the USDA got involved. http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/185520.html "Fiber cardboard has been massively used in construction and packaging applications. Current adhesives used for fiber cardboard are petroleum-based and produced by 3M company, which has environmental problem."


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## honeydreams (Aug 10, 2009)

wbrady said:


> I'd like people's opiions on mybe using charcoal briquettes designed for a bbq smoker, the match light type, to use as starter fuel in the bee smoker to get it going,


 Bad bad very bad idea! you will kill your bees! use news paper and then build up with fresh wood shavings pine straw hay natural stuff.


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

alicelee428 said:


> ,,,To get things going, I use the paper that foundation is wrapped in!


I also use the paper sheets that come packed between sheets of foundation. Great stuff. The wax on the sheet starts my smoker instanty. I stuff a sheet in, light it and start slowly packing in hay or pine needles, puffing the smoker between adding handfuls of fuel.

I can't say with the certainty of others that the charcoal briquettes will kill your bees, but starting a smoker and keeping it going a long time is easy to accomplish without needing charcoal. Just get the paper lit, feed the fuel slowly, puff it enough that smoke comes out heavily, pack the fuel down and add more, Add, puff and pack until the smoker is full.

Wayne


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

> I can't say with the certainty of others that the charcoal briquettes will kill your bees, but starting a smoker and keeping it going a long time is easy to accomplish without needing charcoal.


If he used old fashioned charcoal instead of the match lites he would be better off then using raw wood chips that many people are saying to use. All he needs is a coffee can with holes in the bottom to start the charcoal. They sell these for hibachi grills with handles if he wants to buy one. Start it with a gas grill, torch, paper, or even a cloth wick dipped in bees wax. Most of the poisonous gas has been driven off from charcoal as opposed to raw wood or pellets.


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## Capricorn (Apr 20, 2009)

Coffee bag burlap. Local coffee shop sells bags at 50 cents I think... I start it with a little propane..


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

Capricorn said:


> Coffee bag burlap. I start it with a little propane..


 Really? you need a torch to light burlap! I think you just like playing with fire...


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## Capricorn (Apr 20, 2009)

Hah, I don't even think I've tried it with a lighter.. I'll have to try, the torch was just handy I guess


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## Apiator (Apr 8, 2011)

HONEYDEW said:


> Really? you need a torch to light burlap! I think you just like playing with fire...


I like playing with fire... one more reason, I'm guessing, that I was destined for beek-hood.


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## Riverratbees (Feb 10, 2010)

I find a rotting stump and get that wood it lights easy and burn long. Also burlap works good to.


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## Levi's Bees (Feb 7, 2014)

i have come a cross lots of big chunks of coal, would this be bad for the bees ????


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Have you tried to light coal? I am guessing not. You need a wood fire to start coal and a critical mass to keep it going.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Regardless of the difficulty of igniting coal, it would not make a good bee smoke fuel. What you want is something that burns at a relatively cool temperature, and makes plenty of smoke. Coal typically does not fit that definition.


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