APIS Volume 2, Number 4, April, 1984
In this issue
- Preserving Beehives Using Chemicals
- Wet Wax Moths
PRESERVING BEEHIVES USING CHEMICALS
Some time back, I received a phone call from a beekeeper. He'd had quite a few bottom boards treated at a local wood preserving plant. Even after being aired for months, they were killing the bees placed on top of them. It seemed wet weather had made the situation worse because many of the bottom boards had water pooled on them. All the beekeeper knew was that the bottom boards had been treated by a local plant using a process called Wolmanizing®. Calling around, I could find out very little specifics about Wolmanizing, except it apparently is a generic term for pressure treating wood. Dr. Martins Kalnins at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin confirms this, and says that most commonly the material used is chromated copper arsenate or CCA. CCA is good for preserving wood and also is an excellent termite preventative. Unfortunately, like termites, honey bees are insects and CCA doesn't do them any good either. All this suggests that beekeepers should be careful about treating beehives, either through the services of a commercial preserving plant or on a do-it-yourself basis.
Dr. Kalnins, Mr. Benjamin Detory and Dr. Eric Erickson, of the bee research unit at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, are jointly researching the effects of certain chemicals used in wood preservation on beekeeping equipment and bee products. A soon-to-be published study cautions beekeepers that some preservation materials are more readily absorbed into the comb, honey or even the bees themselves than others. Materials to avoid when treating wood are pentachlorophenol, tributyl tin oxide and CCA. These results are significant, because a traditional preservative and one recommended by many beekeepers and others is pentacholorphenol, sometimes just called "penta." Those found preferable are the proven preservatives: copper naphthenate, acid copper chromate and copper-8-quinolinolate. These extend beehive life from an expected ten to a potential twenty years, however, their effectiveness against termites is open to question..
The concern about preserving beekeeping woodenware is not new. Over the years beekeepers have tried many schemes to protect their equipment. Traditionally, wooden beehives have been painted only on the outside; it is believed, although I know of no detailed studies backing up the assumption, that the inside should remain unfinished so it can act like a "sponge" to absorb moisture on wet days and release it during dry conditions. A corollary to this is that when the inside of the wood takes on too much moisture, it causes the paint on the outside to peel off. Another consideration is the end grain is not well protected except by several coats of paint. There are also different opinions as to which kind of paint (oil-based or water-based) to use. A glance at bee supply catalogs shows both types advertised. Dr. Kalnins recommends a water-based paint because it is more permeable to moisture.
In Florida, bottom boards are subjected to most punishment and their treatment, therefore, takes on special significance. Generally they have been painted all over and/or treated with a preservation process. Invasion by termites is of prime concern, when bottom boards are in contact with the ground. Elevating hives will usually control termite infestation. Dr. Kalnins says CCA would be acceptable for pallets in contact with the soil, PROVIDED untreated bottom boards are placed on top for the bees to walk on. Similarly, pentacholorphenol, painted ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE of equipment, would obviate much of the concern about residues of it in honey, wax or bees.
Recently, I was informed that soaking wooden beehive parts in hot parafin is an alternative some people are using. Dr. Kalinins says this is done in Australia with success, but the process is tricky and the parafin must be extremely hot. He recommends the use of a mixture of boiled linseed oil (or varnish), parafin, and a solvent (turpentine, mineral spirits or paint thinner). To make a gallon of this, use 1-1/2 half cups of boiled linseed oil or 3 cups of varnish, one ounce of parafin flakes, and add solvent to make the gallon. Warm the solvent in the sun, add parafin flakes (to ensure dissolving, cut the parafin flakes thin or they will precipitate out), then add varnish or boiled linseed oil. The material can be applied with brush or as a dip. This becomes a paintable water repellent treatment and gives good results on all wooden equipment, EXCEPT bottom boards.
WET WAX MOTHS
Every once in a while, not often enough, I get some interesting mail from those who read this newsletter. The latest comes from Mr. Henry (Bud) Beckman, 4104 S.E. Myrtle St., P.O. Box 633, Stuart, FL 33495, Ph. 305/287-0402. Mr. Beckman's colonies were done in by Hurricane David in 1979. The combs he was able to salvage had been robbed out and were full of water. He didn't have time to do much with the equipment, so he stacked it up wet.Later, he found that he had no wax moth damage and attributed it to stored water. Further experiments he conducted have indicated that combs filled with water appear to be immune from wax moth damage. He asks that other interested beekeepers do some independent experimenting to see if this is so. If you do, please let me know. Thanks to Mr. Beckman. Keep those cards and letters coming! Sincerely,
Malcolm T. Sanford
Bldg 970, Box 110620
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0620
Phone (352) 392-1801, Ext. 143 FAX: (352)-392-0190
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~entweb/apis/apis.htm
INTERNET Address: MTS@GNV.IFAS.UFL.EDU
©1984 M.T. Sanford "All Rights Reserved
