Bee Science with Dewey Caron: Honey Bees and Smoke

Why do we smoke honey bees—and how much smoke do they really need? In this installment of his Bee Science mini-series on Beekeeping Today, Dr. Dewey Caron sends an audio postcard from Portland, Oregon, during a wildfire smoke advisory. He uses the smoky skies as a starting point for a discussion of the beekeeper's smoker, the behavior of honey bees, and the challenges wildfire brings to the bee yard.

Dewey's central message about smoker use is simple: use it sparingly. He walks through lighting a smoker, choosing fuel that produces cool, white smoke, keeping it working throughout an inspection, and directing smoke where it helps move bees away from fingers and hive equipment. He also describes ways to reduce unnecessary disturbance as frames are removed and the colony is closed.

The conversation then turns to what smoke actually does. Dewey explains why he describes smoke as changing bee behavior rather than simply calming bees. He discusses alarm odor, bees retreating from smoke, and honey-stomach filling, while identifying the proposed wildfire escape response as a theory. Liquid smoke, water, sugar water, and inspections without a smoker each get a look, along with their limitations.

Wildfire smoke raises a different set of questions. Dewey reflects on Oregon's 2020 fires, threats to apiaries, and the difficulties of caring for surviving colonies. He discusses native bee nesting habitat, changes in post-fire forage, and how smoky skies can interfere with the polarized-light patterns honey bees use to navigate. He also considers research on ash exposure and emphasizes how much remains unknown about its effects on flower visitors.

To close, Dewey offers ten points covering smoker safety, inspection decisions, evacuation preparedness, defensible space, supplemental feeding, clean water, documentation, and habitat recovery. Throughout, the emphasis is on thoughtful smoker use and avoiding additional stress on colonies during smoke events.

Notes and references:

• Reynolds, Kamon. What is best bee smoker fuel? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_vqphnp04w

• Garvey, K.K. 2020. The Bee People, The Bees, and The Fires. UCANR Bug Squad. https://ucanr.edu/blog/bug-squad/article/bee-people-bees-and-fires

• Andony Melathopoulos, Brooke Edmunds and Jim Rivers. Reviewed 2024. How do Wildfires affect bees? https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/fire/how-do-wildfires-affect-bee

• Tan, Y.Q., Dion, E. and Monteiro, A., 2018. Haze smoke impacts survival and development of butterflies. Scientific Reports, 8(1), pp.1-10.

• Detweiler, A.J. and Fitzgerald, S.A., 2006. Fire-resistant plants for home landscapes: Selecting plants that may reduce your risk from wildfire. OSU Extension Catalog PNW 590

• Evangelista, C., Kraft, P., Dacke, M., Labhart, T. and Srinivasan, M.V., 2014. Honeybee navigation: critically examining the role of the polarization compass. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 369(1636), p.20130037.

______________

Brought to you by Betterbee – your partners in better beekeeping.

Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

_______________

We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments in the show notes of this episode or: questions@beekeepingtodaypodcast.com

Thank you for listening!

Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Bolero de la Fontero by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.

Beekeeping Today Podcast is an audio production of Growing Planet Media, LLC

** As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases

Copyright © 2026 by Growing Planet Media, LLC