The Green County Historical Society Museum has among its artifacts an old bee smoker. A bee smoker is a tool used by beekeepers to blow smoke into a beehive before inspecting or handling the hive.
The classic bee smoker, invented by Moses Quinby of New York in 1875, consists of a firepot, bellows and a nozzle to direct the smoke. The bellows force air through the fuel-filled firepot, while smoke exits through the nozzle. Smoke is then directed into the beehive to sedate the bees and keep them from attacking the beekeeper.
Although smoke has been used for thousands of years to harvest honey, most of the methods used created a lot of unnecessary smoke, were troublesome and presented a fire hazard. Quinby's invention simplified the process of smoking bees and helped to modernize beekeeping.
Today's smokers have heated propane coils that vaporize special "smoke fluid" made from food grade ingredients that are less noxious to the bees and beekeepers. By pressing a lever, a small amount of fluid is pumped over the heated coil to produce a plume that is shot out a nozzle. Propane bee smokers sell for about $150.
The bee smoker shown here is 1 foot high and 4 inches in diameter and has no markings indicating who may have made it. The firepot, made of tin and the bellows, measures 4 inches by 7 inches. It is made of leather.
The top half of the smoker, including the nozzle, may be opened through the use of a hinge, leaving about 7 inches of the firepot left for igniting the fire. The inside base of the firepot has numerous perforations allowing for air to circulate.
The classic bee smoker, invented by Moses Quinby of New York in 1875, consists of a firepot, bellows and a nozzle to direct the smoke. The bellows force air through the fuel-filled firepot, while smoke exits through the nozzle. Smoke is then directed into the beehive to sedate the bees and keep them from attacking the beekeeper.
Although smoke has been used for thousands of years to harvest honey, most of the methods used created a lot of unnecessary smoke, were troublesome and presented a fire hazard. Quinby's invention simplified the process of smoking bees and helped to modernize beekeeping.
Today's smokers have heated propane coils that vaporize special "smoke fluid" made from food grade ingredients that are less noxious to the bees and beekeepers. By pressing a lever, a small amount of fluid is pumped over the heated coil to produce a plume that is shot out a nozzle. Propane bee smokers sell for about $150.
The bee smoker shown here is 1 foot high and 4 inches in diameter and has no markings indicating who may have made it. The firepot, made of tin and the bellows, measures 4 inches by 7 inches. It is made of leather.
The top half of the smoker, including the nozzle, may be opened through the use of a hinge, leaving about 7 inches of the firepot left for igniting the fire. The inside base of the firepot has numerous perforations allowing for air to circulate.