How to Light a Bee Smoker (and Keep It Lit): A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide

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Most beginners worry about stings before their first inspection. The more common problems are going in without a plan, staying too long, and putting frames back in the wrong order.

This guide takes you from the day before to closing the lid. It’s built from university extension guidance (University of Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, and UF/IFAS) plus two short videos from the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre. It isn’t a substitute for a mentor: if someone from your local club offers to stand beside you for your first look, say yes.

The short answer

• Go in with one goal. University of Arizona Extension says to have a purpose in mind every time you open the hive. For a first inspection, that’s usually: is the queen laying, and do the bees have food and room?
• Pick a warm, calm, dry day. Arizona says to inspect only above 55°F, and not on very windy days, in heavy rain, or at night.
• Light your smoker first. Oklahoma State Extension says it can be started 5 to 10 minutes before an inspection.
• Look for eggs, not the queen. Arizona says you don’t need to find her if you can see signs she’s laying.
• Put frames back in the same order, facing the same way (Mississippi State Extension).

Watch it first

Watch these two videos once before your inspection, then use the written steps below as your checklist in the bee yard.

Video credit: “Opening Hives,” University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre, embedded from YouTube. First Hive Gear isn’t affiliated with the channel.

Video credit: “Colony Inspection,” University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre, embedded from YouTube. First Hive Gear isn’t affiliated with the channel.

In the first video, apiary manager Paul Kelly shows how to open a hive and handle frames without harming the queen. In the second, he works through a colony frame by frame. Both were filmed in Ontario, Canada, so your timing and equipment may differ.

When to do your first inspection

After installing a package: Mississippi State Extension says the queen should release herself within 2 to 4 days, and to check whether she has left her cage within 3 to 4 days. If she’s still inside, you can leave her a couple more days before releasing her yourself. On later visits, look for eggs and larvae.

After installing a nuc: Mississippi State refills a new colony’s feeder every 4 to 5 days and advises leaving the bees alone in between.

Sources differ on timing. Arizona Extension’s list says to check 14 days after installing a package (while making sure the bees don’t run out of feed) and 7 days after introducing a new queen. Follow your supplier’s instructions first, then your mentor’s advice.

Pick the right hour. Mississippi State says warm, sunny days with steady foraging traffic are best, because many older bees, which are more likely to sting, are out foraging. Arizona lists thunderstorms, cold rainy days, and working too early or too late in the day as things that make bees irritable.

What to wear and bring

Arizona Extension says full protective gear gives you the best chance of avoiding stings: gloves, a jacket or suit, and a veil, in a light color, with no scented lotions. At the very minimum, always wear your veil. Mississippi State says new beekeepers should wear gloves until they feel comfortable. To choose gear, see ventilated bee suits and jackets and bee jacket vs full suit.

Bring, adapted from Arizona’s bee-yard list:

• Smoker, dry fuel, and a lighter (see how to light a bee smoker)
• A hive tool (Arizona suggests two)
• A frame holder, if you have one
• A notebook or phone for notes and photos
• Drinking water, plus water to rinse sticky hands
• A nonflammable container for the hot smoker

The full shopping list is in our beginner beekeeping equipment checklist.

No hive tool in your kit? Blythewood Bee Company lists a Standard Hive Tool with Scraper and a Stainless Steel J-Hook Hive Tool at $9.95 each, and a stainless Beehive Frame Perch/Holder that hooks over the box and holds up to three frames for $12.95 (as listed Oct 5, 2026, ET; features per the seller).

Pro tip: Do a dry run before the bees arrive. Arizona Extension recommends practicing lighting your smoker a few times before taking it into the apiary.

Step by step: your first inspection

1. Set your goal

For a new package or nuc: Is the queen out of her cage? Are there eggs or young larvae? Are the bees building comb? Is there syrup in the feeder?

2. Light the smoker

Have it making cool, white smoke before you walk over. Our smoker guide covers lighting it and keeping it lit.

3. Approach from the side or back

Arizona Extension says standing in front of the hive blocks the bees’ flight path. Watch the entrance for a moment first.

4. Smoke the entrance, then wait

Puff some smoke into the entrance and wait a few seconds for the bees to react (Arizona). A couple of puffs is enough; Arizona warns that over-smoking irritates bees.

5. Open the lid and inner cover

Pry off the lid and puff smoke through the inner cover, then remove the inner cover and puff a little smoke between the frames where you’ll start. Arizona suggests propping both covers against the hive near the entrance so clinging bees can walk back in.

6. Remove the first frame

Hook your frame holder on the side of the box. Loosen the frame nearest you with your hive tool and lift it straight up, slowly, so you don’t roll bees against the walls. In the Guelph video, Kelly holds on to frames as he pries them so they don’t snap free and jolt the hive.

Arizona says to scan each frame in a zig-zag on one side, flip it, and repeat. After two or three frames are out, slide frames into the gap instead of lifting each one out. Outer frames usually hold honey; the middle frames hold the brood nest, which needs to stay warm, so keep moving.

7. Read each frame

• Eggs: tiny white specks at the bottom of cells. Tilting the frame toward the sun helps. Arizona notes the queen is most likely on frames with new eggs, so hold those over the open hive so she can’t fall outside it.
• Larvae: white, curled grubs in open cells.
• Capped brood: Arizona says worker brood has flat cappings and drone brood has domed cappings. You want mostly worker brood.
• Brood pattern: Arizona says the queen usually lays in a concentric pattern. UF/IFAS says a spotty pattern suggests a failing or missing queen or a health problem.
• Food: UF/IFAS describes brood in the center, surrounded by pollen, then capped honey.
• Space: Oklahoma State says to add a second box once bees have drawn comb on eight of ten frames.
• Queen cells and problems: Arizona says to watch for queen cells and note whether they hold eggs or larvae or are sealed. If anything looks wrong, take a photo and ask your mentor or state apiary inspector.

8. Don’t hunt for the queen

Eggs and young larvae tell you she’s been there recently. If you do spot her, keep that frame low over the hive. The “Opening Hives” video shows a careful way to set her frame aside while you finish.

9. Put it back together

Mississippi State says to keep frames in their original order, since the brood nest belongs in the center, and not to rotate them: a bulge on one comb often fits a dip in its neighbor, and flipping a frame can crush bees and brood. Push frames together, center them, and lower the covers slowly.

10. Write it down

Arizona says notes should include the date, weather, colony strength, work done, pests or problems, and mite treatments. Number each hive.

Safety notes

• Defensive bees: If smoke isn’t calming them, Arizona says to finish quickly and close the hive. Don’t swat. UC’s California Master Beekeeper Program says that if you’re getting multiple stings, close up and move quickly and safely away, for example into a vehicle.
• Allergies: The UC program says most stings cause only local pain and swelling, but some people have life-threatening reactions. Trouble breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, or dizziness means call 911. If you’ve never been stung or relatives have had severe reactions, it suggests asking your doctor about allergy testing before you start.
• Stingers: Remove them quickly by scraping or pulling, and puff smoke over the spot to mask the alarm scent (UC). Arizona says to wash stung clothing before your next visit.
• Fire: Set the smoker in a nonflammable container, not dry grass. Oklahoma State says to make sure it’s out and cool before putting it away, and never to leave a lit smoker in a vehicle.

Common mistakes

1. No plan. You’ll stay too long.
2. Too much smoke.
3. Standing in the flight path.
4. Lingering over brood frames. Keep the nest warm.
5. Reordering or flipping frames.
6. Inspecting too often. Mississippi State advises leaving a new colony to work between feeder refills.

FAQ

How long should a first inspection take?

No source gives a fixed time, but Arizona stresses keeping it short, and says a properly filled smoker lasts about 30 minutes. A single-box hive shouldn’t need nearly that long.

How often should I inspect?

It depends on season and goals. Arizona lists triggers such as 7 days after introducing a new queen, plus regular spring checks for food, laying, and swarm cells. UF/IFAS says winter checks should be brief, on days above 50°F, and only if absolutely necessary.

What if I can’t find eggs?

They’re hard to see, so look for young larvae and capped brood too. If you find no eggs or brood when the queen should be laying, contact your supplier or mentor promptly.

What about fall?

Fall visits focus on mites, food stores, and winter prep. See fall feeding and winter prep for first-year beekeepers.

Want a structured course?

Reader deal: The Beekeeping Made Simple Beekeeping for Beginners video course lists a basics chapter covering buying, installing, and inspecting bees. First Hive Gear readers can use code COREY for 20% off eligible offers; check at checkout which plans it applies to.

We compare it with free extension courses in best beekeeping courses and books for beginners.

Sources

• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, “Working the Hive” (AZ2013, Dec 2022): https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az2013-2022.pdf
• Mississippi State University Extension, “Beginning Beekeeping in Mississippi” (Publication 3594): https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/beginning-beekeeping-mississippi
• Oklahoma State University Extension, “Beginning Honey Beekeeping Equipment and Associated Costs”: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/beginning-honey-beekeeping-equipment-and-associated-costs.html
• UF/IFAS, “Overwintering Honey Bee Colonies in Northern Climates” (ENY-161): https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1006
• University of California, California Master Beekeeper Program, “Honey Bee Stings”: https://cambp.ucdavis.edu/knowledge-base/safety/bee-stings
• University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre, “Working With Bees” videos: https://hbrc.ca/working-with-bees/
• Blythewood Bee Company product pages (read Oct 5, 2026): https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/standard-hive-tool, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/stainless-steel-j-hook-hive-tool, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/beehive-frame-holder

This article is general information, not professional, medical, or legal advice.

Disclosure: First Hive Gear may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Cornell’s beekeeping program puts it plainly: “Good fall management is critical to successful overwintering.” Penn State Extension says colonies with large populations and honey stores have the best chance, and UF/IFAS lists lack of food among the leading causes of winter colony death.

This guide covers the fall jobs in the order they matter. Timing depends heavily on climate, and most dates below come from cold-climate sources, so check with your local club or extension office. If it’s already October where you are, jump to “Running late?”

The short answer

• Check for mites first. In upstate New York, Cornell says to measure mite levels in late July or early August and re-check in September.
• Make sure they have enough food. Cornell says a full-size hive (two deeps or equivalent) needs at least 80 pounds of honey, a nuc at least 50; UF/IFAS says about 90 pounds in the North. Ask what’s normal locally.
• Feed 2:1 syrup if they’re light, while the bees can still process it. Cornell says not to feed 1:1 in fall, and that once the bees cluster it’s too late for liquid feed.
• Shrink the entrance and keep mice out (UF/IFAS; Cornell).
• Ventilate, block the wind, then leave them alone (UF/IFAS).

Watch it first

Video credit: “Feeding Bees and Overwintering,” University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre, embedded from YouTube. First Hive Gear isn’t affiliated with the channel.

The Guelph team shows several ways to feed heavy syrup, then how they prepare hives for winter. It’s filmed in Ontario, where they feed in the latter part of September after the goldenrod flow, so adjust for your climate. The large open barrel feeder shown suits big apiaries; beginners should stick to feeders inside the hive (Step 3).

When to start

Where	What the source says
Upstate New York	Cornell: fall work starts in August; evaluate stores starting early September; you can’t count on feeding past the end of September (some years later)
Northern climates generally	UF/IFAS: preparation usually starts in August or September
Warm Southern areas	Mississippi State: beekeepers there use screened bottom boards year-round with no special winter changes

Betterbee adds that in most places it’s better to start any needed feeding by about the midpoint of the fall flow, and that pulling your honey supers is a good time to assess stores.

Step 1: Check for varroa mites

Cornell explains why mites come first: bee numbers start falling in late summer while mite numbers keep rising, which can leave a bad mite-to-bee ratio when the bees cluster. In its region, it says treating for the first time in September or October is already too late.

The Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Tools for Varroa Management (9th edition) describes an alcohol wash: sample about 300 adult bees (roughly ½ cup) from one to three brood frames, avoiding the queen, and count the mites. Its suggested treatment thresholds are 2% (6 mites per 300 bees) when the colony population is peaking or declining, and 1% in the dormant phase. It notes thresholds vary by region and recommends checking with your extension apiculturist.

If you need to treat, choose a product suited to the season, temperature, and whether honey supers are on, and follow the label exactly, as Mississippi State stresses. Penn State notes that some beekeepers use oxalic acid during winter’s broodless period, when all the mites are on adult bees.

Blythewood Bee Company lists a Ceracell Varroa Mite Test Bottle at $19.95 (shown as a sale price) that it says works for sugar-shake, alcohol-wash, or CO2 testing. See the mite section of our equipment checklist for other options.

Step 2: Check how much food they have

Heft the hive. UF/IFAS describes a lift test: try to tip the hive forward with one hand using the handle on the back of the bottom box. If it’s hard to rock, it probably has enough food. If it’s easy, it probably needs more. Arizona Extension suggests learning by feel how heavy your boxes are, so you can recheck during winter.

Look at the layout. UF/IFAS says brood should sit in the bottom box, ringed by pollen and then capped honey, with food above and beside the cluster, because the cluster moves up through winter. Remove any queen excluder so the queen isn’t trapped below it.

Leave the honey. Cornell’s advice is to err on the side of too much: better to find live bees with leftover honey in spring than a hive that starved.

Weak colonies. Penn State says weak or light colonies can be fed or combined with another small colony. UF/IFAS says colonies under 15,000 bees are unlikely to survive freezing temperatures, though they may make it where winters are mild. Ask a mentor to help you combine.

Step 3: Feed 2:1 syrup if they’re light

The ratio. Cornell says to use cane sugar and water at 2:1, and explains that the thicker syrup saves the bees energy because less water must be evaporated. Betterbee specifies 2:1 by weight; UF/IFAS describes it by volume. By weight, 10 pounds of sugar to 5 pounds of water (about 2.4 quarts) makes a 2:1 batch.

The sugar. Mississippi State says to use refined white table sugar, not raw or brown sugar. Betterbee says granulated cane or beet sugar only, never powdered, brown, or organic sugar.

The water. Heat the water, take it off the heat, then stir in the sugar. Don’t cook the syrup. Betterbee says to use water at least 140°F but not boiling. Mississippi State warns that boiling or overheating syrup can form a compound (HMF) that can kill bees, and says to throw out syrup that has browned.

The feeder. Mississippi State recommends in-hive feeders or gravity feeders over the inner cover, not entrance feeders, which can attract robber bees and which the cluster can’t reach on cold nights. Hive-top feeders, frame feeders with ladders, and an inverted pail over the inner cover hole (boxed in) all work.

Blythewood lists the Ceracell 10 Frame Top Feeder with Wooden Rim (2.25 gallons) and the 8-frame version (1.98 gallons) at $24.50 each, and the Bee Smart 3 Season Ultimate Hive Top Feeder (about 1 gallon, fits 8- and 10-frame) at $22.00. Prices are as listed Oct 5, 2026 (ET).

When to stop. Stop when the hive reaches your target weight or the bees stop taking syrup. Betterbee says that once nights drop into the 40s, feed only what the bees will take in 24 hours, fresh and warm each morning.

Pro tip: Fill feeders carefully and wipe up drips. Mississippi State warns that syrup spilled on or around the hive attracts robber bees from other colonies.

Step 4: Shrink the entrance and keep mice out

UF/IFAS recommends entrance reducers or wire mouse guards as simple defenses. Cornell says mice crawl into lower entrances once the bees cluster and stop guarding the door. To make your own guard, cut hardware cloth to the entrance width and at least three times its height, fold it in half, and push it into the entrance. Blythewood lists wooden entrance reducers for 8- and 10-frame hives at $2.25 each or $11.25 for five.

Step 5: Prepare for wind and moisture

• Shelter from wind, keep airflow. UF/IFAS says hives should be out of the wind but still ventilated, and early-morning sun helps. Cornell says to avoid low spots where damp, cold air pools, and to face entrances away from the prevailing wind.
• Add an upper entrance. Cornell says condensation dripping from the cover onto the bees is deadly, and that a shim or notch under the inner cover lets moisture escape and gives bees an exit if snow blocks the bottom.
• Insulation: sources differ. Cornell suggests a moisture-absorbent layer over the inner cover if your cover isn’t insulated; the Guelph team advises against insulation that soaks up moisture, because it can turn soggy and moldy. Ask what works locally.
• Wrap and strap where it’s cold. UF/IFAS says beekeepers in the far northern states and Canada may wrap hives. Cornell suggests strapping hives down against wind and raccoons.

Do this work while daytime temperatures are still above 50°F; Cornell says opening colonies in the cold is stressful at best and lethal at worst.

Step 6: Then leave them alone

UF/IFAS says to disturb hives as little as possible once winter begins, with brief checks only on days above 50°F if absolutely necessary. Heft the hive now and then. Because bees can’t take cold syrup, Penn State says beekeepers use fondant or hard sugar on top of the frames. Cornell says bees crowding the inner cover hole on a mild day are running out of food and need it right away.

Running late?

If it’s mid-October or later where you are:

1. Check stores on the next day above 50°F (Cornell).
2. If they’re light and still taking syrup, feed warm 2:1 in 24-hour amounts (Betterbee).
3. If they’ve clustered, switch to fondant or sugar above the frames (Penn State; Cornell).
4. Ask your extension office about late-season mite options.
5. Fit a reducer or mouse guard now.

Safety notes

• Hot syrup burns. Let the water cool slightly before mixing, as Betterbee suggests.
• Robbing makes bees defensive (Arizona Extension), so wear full gear.
• Mite treatments: follow the label, including its protective-equipment requirements.
• Heavy boxes: Mississippi State says a full deep box weighs more than 70 pounds. Tip the hive to heft it instead of lifting the whole thing.
• Stings: If you might be allergic, see a doctor before you keep bees. Trouble breathing or throat swelling after a sting needs emergency help (UC California Master Beekeeper Program).

FAQ

Can I feed honey?

Only your own, from healthy colonies, and carefully. UF/IFAS warns that disease can spread through honey or frames from other colonies, so don’t feed honey of unknown origin.

Do I need to treat if my mite count was low?

HBHC says colonies below threshold may not need immediate control, and recommends re-sampling monthly. Cornell is more cautious: “If you have bees, you have mites,” so plan for control even if you can’t count every hive. Talk to your mentor.

What if my colony dies anyway?

UF/IFAS says some colonies don’t survive even with good preparation. Close up the hive to keep out robbers and pests, ask a mentor to help work out why, and plan a spring restart with our winter timeline for ordering bees and first-year budget.

Keep learning this winter

Reader deal: The Beekeeping Made Simple Beekeeping for Beginners course lists chapters on pest management and overwintering, and says it covers both warm and cold climates. First Hive Gear readers can use code COREY for 20% off eligible offers; check at checkout which plans it applies to.

See how it compares with free options in our courses and books roundup, and refresh your inspection skills with how to do your first hive inspection.

Sources

• Cornell CALS Pollinator Network, “Overwintering”: https://cals.cornell.edu/pollinator-network/beekeeping/overwintering
• UF/IFAS, “Overwintering Honey Bee Colonies in Northern Climates” (ENY-161): https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1006
• Penn State Extension, “Honey Bee Management Throughout the Seasons”: https://extension.psu.edu/honey-bee-management-throughout-the-seasons
• Honey Bee Health Coalition, Tools for Varroa Management, 9th edition (2026): https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Tools-for-Varroa-Management-Guide-9th-Edition.pdf
• Mississippi State University Extension, “Beginning Beekeeping in Mississippi” (Publication 3594): https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/beginning-beekeeping-mississippi
• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, “Working the Hive” (AZ2013, Dec 2022): https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az2013-2022.pdf
• Betterbee, “The When, What, and How of Fall Feeding”: https://www.betterbee.com/instructions-and-resources/the-when-what-and-how-of-fall-feeding.asp
• University of California, California Master Beekeeper Program, “Honey Bee Stings”: https://cambp.ucdavis.edu/knowledge-base/safety/bee-stings
• University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre, “Feeding Bees and Overwintering” (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8bDzD-aXj4
• Blythewood Bee Company product pages (read Oct 5, 2026): https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/ceracell-varroa-mite-test-bottle, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/ceracell-10-frame-top-feeder-with-wooden-rim, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/ceracell-8-frame-top-feeder-with-wooden-rim, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/bee-smart-3-season-ultimate-hive-top-feeder, https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/products/5-pack-entrance-reducers-for-langstroth-hives

This article is general information, not professional, medical, or legal advice. Mite treatments are pesticides: always read and follow the label.