Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Use Bee Smoker Pellets

When beekeepers get inside a bees' nest to gather honey, they use a handy tool called a smoker to help them. As the name suggests, smokers produce a thick cloud of smoke that helps calm the bees and reduce the chances of their natural defense mechanism kicking in. In order to produce the best smoke, always use specially made smoker pellets. When properly used, these pellets will provide the thickest possible smoke every time.

Things You'll Need

Paper towel
Shredded paper
Long-stemmed lighter
Wood smoker pellets

Instructions

- 1
  Make sure the inside of the smoker is clean and free of debris. Any debris can easily be dumped out or wiped away with a paper towel.
- 2
  Add a small handful of shredded paper to the bottom of the smoker.
- 3
  Light the paper on fire with a long-stemmed lighter. Once lit, squeeze the bellows on the smoker to increase air flow and increase the size of the flame. Ideally, the flames should reach at least the top of the smoker.
- 4
  Add a handful of wood pellets to the smoker once the flames reach the ideal height. Squeeze the bellows repeatedly until a thick cloud of smoke emits from the smoker.
- 5
  Add another handful of pellets. The smoke may die down after you add more pellets, so squeeze the bellows again until the smoke thickens. Continue adding more pellets until the smoker is halfway full.

Insects & Science