>>I dislike the short burn time [of pine needles].

If I have a lot of inspections to do, I'll bring a second bag of moist needles with me.  This makes the re-filling a lot less frequent.  Also makes for thicker, not necessarily more effective, smoke.  I, too, orient to smoker to the prevailing wind to keep the smoker from overdriving.

>>Maybe I am a bit picky about everyday smoker fuel.

Pine needles work well in my small operation.  They are free and readily available.  If I were involved in a large operation that had to run more efficiently, I'd look for ways to keep the smoker going longer with fewer refills.  I do like the pellet idea.

>>I do not know why pine needle smoke seems to stay in clothing so long. maybe not noticeable in in a hobby situation but noticeable in the all day working bees situation.

With my busy schedule, I typically work the hives bet. 5:00 and 6:30 am.  I am not a heavy 'hive smoker' but the smoke does linger on you.  If I don't get a chance to take a shower, my office co-workers know I had worked the bees that morning and will sometimes ask ''How are the bees doing?"

I only give a hive a couple of light puffs at the onset of an inspection to let them know something irregular for them is about to happen.  The second smoking is right before re-stacking the hive bodies/supers to clear the tops and bottoms of frames to eliminate/minimize crashing the bees.

Oh, and I also smoke my hands prior to taking frames out!  This is especially useful when going from one hive to another when there isn't a nice flow on.  Bees will pick up a foreign hive's scent on your hands when they are on a raised alert level.

>>We raked and burned pine needles in Florida ( I grew up in Florida and 
started beekeeping in Florida) and afterword's our clothes smelled like we 
had been standing around a campfire all weekend.

It smells sweet, don't it? ;-))

Waldemar

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