Is liquid smoke helpful or risky for calming honey bees?

Inside: In some circumstances, liquid smoke diluted with water works well as a substitute for a traditional smoker. Learn the good and not-so-good attributes of smoke in a bottle.

What is liquid smoke?

Liquid smoke is a product made by burning wood chips and capturing the smoke. The manufacturers run the smoke rough a condenser that separates the burned wood particles from the surrounding air. As the smokey air cools inside the condenser, the smoke particles adhere to water droplets. The equipment collects the droplets and sheds the warm air to the outdoors, much like an air conditioner.

Traditionally, liquid smoke is used to make marinades, barbecue sauce, cheese, bacon, baked beans, roasted nuts, and anything else that benefits from a smokey essence. Different flavors result from burning different species of wood, such as hickory, mesquite, applewood, and pecan. You can find liquid smoke in the grocery store, shelved alongside ketchup and barbecue sauce.

The liquid smoke sold in grocery stores may also contain other ingredients, including molasses, vinegar, and caramel color. Although some bee supply stores sell their own brand of liquid smoke, all the beekeepers I know use the grocery store brands. A beekeeper-prepared batch of smoke goes a long way and can keep for months.

How does liquid smoke control honey bees?

Beekeepers add concentrated liquid smoke to a spray bottle of water. When this spray replaces actual smoke, it has a calming effect on bees similar to the real thing. Exposed to the odor, honey bees go into survival mode, stuffing themselves with honey to prepare for tough times ahead.

How much liquid smoke to add to the water is up to you, but many beekeepers recommend starting with two tablespoons (one ounce) for every 16 ounces of water. Because brands of smoke, sprayers, and beekeepers differ, you will need to experiment to find the right concentration for you.

Instead of puffing smoke, you spritz the water above the bees under the lid of the hive. This slows down their aggression for at least two reasons. Just like regular smoke, the smell warns the bees that danger is near. In addition, damp wings make flying more difficult, so they are less likely to fly at you.

The good, the bad, and the smelly

Some beekeepers love this product and others won’t touch it. Personally, I believe liquid smoke is not a replacement for a smoker but an alternative for certain situations.

The most common complaint is that the smell lasts a long time, especially when you spray it inside the hive. Some people don’t like the idea that the odor lingers in the hive for longer than necessary, continuing to alarm the bees.

Another complaint is that the smoke can flavor the honey and the beeswax, making them unpalatable—or at least unpleasant. I can attest as a comb honey producer that even a regular smoker can give comb honey an unwanted forest fire flavor, so I would never use it during a nectar flow.

Perfect uses for bottled smoke

However, under certain circumstances, bottled smoke works well. For example, some beekeepers use it to spray robbing bees. If a hive is aswirl with robbers, spray the area around the outside of the attacked hive: above, beside, and beneath. The smell together with wet wings works well to deter robbers.

If you are in danger of brush fires, liquid smoke is safer than lighting a smoker. Usually, by the time fire season arrives, the major nectar flows are past, so you don’t need to worry about open honey cells getting tainted by the aroma of smoke.

Beekeepers who try to keep their hobby a secret from their neighbors also may opt for liquid smoke because it doesn’t leave a telltale plume.

In addition, some beekeepers like to smear a few drops of concentrated liquid smoke on their hands and arms, or anywhere they frequently get stung. Apparently, it works as a reliable repellent, keeping those stings at bay.

What’s your experience?

If you have experience with liquid smoke—good, bad, or indifferent—please share. It might be an under-used resource, especially when playing with fire might not be the best choice. How do you use it? What do you think?

Rusty
Honey Bee Suite

About Me

I backed my love of bee science with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomic Crops and a master’s in Environmental Studies. I write extensively about bees, including a current column in American Bee Journal and past columns in Two Million Blossoms and Bee Craft. I’ve endured multiple courses in melittology and made extensive identifications of North American bees for iNaturalist and other organizations. My master beekeeper certificate issued from U Montana. I’m also an English nerd. More here.