How to treat a cedar hive?
Which is more expensive, cedar or pine?
How long do cedar fences last?
Is pine better than cedar?
Can you paint cedar with pine?
Is pine wood heavier than cedar?
Can you use cedar for hives?
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Red Cedar=bad for making hives??? | Beesource Beekeeping Forums
Another Red Flag! I just remembered a discusion in my association a while back about wooden-ware and making it out of different materials. red ceder (Juniperus virginiana, the aroma type) was mentioned, however, one of the knowlegable beekeepers in our club (the founder, in fact) said that there had been experiments with red ceder hives and the wooden-ware was long-lasting and also detured ...
Do bees really work cedar trees? | Beesource Beekeeping Forums
Here in SW Mo. we have an abundance of cedar trees but i have yet to see a bee on one. I have 3 big cedars in my bee yard with hives within 8ft. of them and have never seen a bee or swarm on them, but i keep reading in some magazines and books that they are a forage for bees. Maybe they work a...
Where is the Cedar Bee Tree?
Cedar Bee Tree#N#On the farm that I grew up on in East Tennessee, there was a large Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) bee tree. There were bees in this tree for more than 15 years. This was before the advent of mites. Certainly, the bees did well in this tree.
What is red cedar used for?
Church. Red Cedar, Western or Eastern? Red Cedar can be the Western Red Cedar, used for siding, fencing etc. and is not as aromatic or used for closet lining and "cedar" chests for moth proofing.
What type of wood is best for bee hives?
There’s a wide variety of options to consider before choosing a beehive. The best wood for beehives is a good select grade premium pine. Pine lumber is easy to work with, it’s available everywhere in North America & Europe, and it’s the most affordable.
What is the best wood for bee boxes?
What Is The Best Wood For Beehives. Of all the different woods used for bee boxes, Pine is most popular among hobbyists and large commercial operations. Pine lumber is readily available in all areas across North America and Europe. No matter your circumstances you’ll always be able to locate high quality Pine bee boxes.
How long does it take for pine beehives to rot?
Pine, if left untreated, will rot very quickly when exposed to the elements and the boxes will begin to rot within 6 months to 1 year. The 2nd most popular wood used for beehives is Cypress.
Why do beekeepers use 8 frame boxes?
Some beekeepers prefer 8 frame boxes over the standard 10 frames. The biggest reason is they’re lighter to move around and a bit cheaper to buy. Other beekeepers believe that 8 frame boxes outperform 10 frame hives for honey production. Although, I was unable to locate any study proving this assumption.
How long does cypress wood last?
Old-growth Cypress wood was known to last decades without treatment, but new-growth lumber will only last around 3 years. Now, most beekeepers apply some form of treatment (paint, stain, hot wax dip) to their Cypress wood beehives. Cyprus Wood – Deep Brood Box.
What is the best paint for bees?
What is the best paint for beehives? The best paint for beehives is a water-based latex paint, rated for exterior use with low levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds ). The VOC’s should be under 100 but ideally you want 50 or lower. This will protect your beehive against the elements while ensuring the safety of your bees.
Is Cedar a good beehive?
But there is no doubt that Cedar makes a very beautiful beehive. Cedar 6 Frame Flow Hive – HoneyFlow.com.
Does cedar smell like bees?
Western Red Cedar is not the same as the cedar used in blanket chests. That kind of cedar has a smell to deter bugs. Bees would avoid that, I am sure. Sometimes they make little boxes that really smell when you open them. The red cedar smells almost sweet when you cut it and bees probably wouldn't mind that.
Is red cedar rot resistant?
On the farm that I grew up on in East Tennessee, there was a large Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) bee tree. There were bees in this tree for more than 15 years. This was before the advent of mites. Certainly, the bees did well in this tree.#N#Eastern Red Cedar is a very rot-resistant wood, I have fence posts that have been in the ground at least forty (maybe 60) years. They are not in very good shape, but they have not rotted competely off, eventhough they are in ground contact. I suspect though the heartwood (red color) is more rot resistant than the sapwood (white color).
Is cedar shaving good for hives?
There are issues when cedar shavings are used for bedding for certain creatures, but cedar is popular in the UK as hive material. Maybe if left solid rather than shaved it is OK. Maybe their cedar lacks whatever toxin causes problems here?
Can cedar be used for hives?
Although I have never personally used it due to cost, I can tell you for a certainty that cedar is fine for hives. Some reasons why I believe this:#N#I know many people that have used cedar in hives and they were better colonies than many I've seen in pine.#N#Bees and wasps live in cedar trees all the time.#N#As far as I know mites don't like cedar, and I know all moths hate it. Which can't be a bad thing if you're not treating.#N#Bees will propolise the whole inside in a couple of years anyway.
Do bees like red cedar?
As quoted above in the FAQ's about red cedar, bees are attracted to the fragrant wood. Any time I have the garage door open in my wood shop I have a couple of bees buzzing around the cedar.
Is red cedar expensive?
A: Red Cedar purchased from a lumber yard is usually Western Red Cedar and can be very expensive. Eastern Red Cedar here in the Ozarks is very prevalent. Buying locally from small family businesses allows us to pass the savings on to you. Considering our product's esthetic and rot/pest-resistant qualities our pricing competes very well with conventional pine hives.
Is Ozark Red Cedar a good tree for bees?
A: Ozark Red Cedar is a common tree where swarms move in. The wood not only has a beautiful white and red grain, but is resistant to termites and rot. The wood is stronger when compared to pine, and in the Ozarks, a very prolific tree. We have been keeping bees exclusively in cedar for 8 years now as well as selling them to beekeepers in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. We continually receive comments that the bees are excelling in these cedar hives.
Can bees use plastic foundation?
A: We have observed that plastic foundation installed in wooden frames are readily accepted by bees and is our preference. During normal nectar flow, the bees start evenly along the top bar and fill the frame to the bottom with an uninterupted comb. If you prefer all wax foundation, which many beekeepers do, these frames will also serve your purposes well.
Can bees eat red cedar?
A: The insect resistant nature of red cedar refers to insect boring properties. Therefore, bees are just fine with red cedar.
Can you order a hive body unassembled?
A. Yes, many people order hive bodies/supers unassembled to reduce purchase price or to have the satisfaction of "building" their own hive. Hive bodies and supers are glued. However, in very dry climates it is necessary to also put screws in the top and bottom corners of the boxes. The bees maintain 50% or more humidity inside the box and the dry outside air will cause the boxes to warp and sometimes pulls the top corners loose. Check for unassembled prices listed below the products. Click here for a link to a youtube video for hive body/super assembly.
What is the best wood for beekeeping?
Standard beekeeping equipment in the US is made from 3/4-inch thick pine wood and is the standard wood used by most beekeeping supply companies like Mann Lake, Kelly Bees, and Dadant. The pine used for beehives and much of the lumber you see at Home Depot or Lowes is a naturally a porous wood which is good and bad. Pine is quick growing and easy to cut, which is why it is so popular with suppliers, but definitely has it's negatives.
WHY USE CYPRESS FOR BEEHIVES ?
In Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, cypress, and pine are both popular woods for making beehives. These two options are popular in the south because both species naturally grow there. Cedar wood is more popular in the north where it naturally grows.
Why is pine wood so popular?
Pine is popular because it is inexpensive, grows quickly and is easy to cut. Cypress is popular as it grows slowly in wet areas, creating a denser wood with tight growth rings. The tight rings and naturally present preservative cypressene minimizes decay, allowing cypress bee hives to last longer than any beekeeper does.
What makes cypress wood unique?
What makes cypress wood unique among other woods is a natural ability to produce a preservative called cypressene. The presence of this in the wood naturally slows down waters' ability to deteriorate the wood as well as insects desire to chew through the wood. This is why cypress wood is popular for any outdoor use like fences, docks, railroad ties and beehives.
How long does cypress wood last?
Cypress, on the other hand, can cost more upfront but will hold up well outside. This means that Cypress wood can easily last 50+ years when taken care of, proving a better investment in the long term. It is also a more beautiful wood to use, which may mean nothing to you. The bees certainly don't care. The wood can actually be left unpainted because of cypress' natural resistance to decay.
Why is pine wood growing so fast?
The reason pine grows so quickly is their trunks have large channels transport sap and water up and down the trunk to support their fast growth .
Can you turn old growth cypress into bee boxes?
The "old growth" cypress from large trees is hard to find in the wild. If harvested, the wood is so valuable it would not be turned into bee boxes. Think of old-growth cypress as the very middle of a very large cypress tree. It's the core, the creme de la creme of cypress wood. It takes a very old, large tree to harvest "old growth" wood. And if you get it, you definitely won't be turning it into a beehive.
How to treat a cedar hive?
We recommend treating your cedar hive with a natural, plant-based oil, such as tung. Make sure you give your treated hive time to dry and air out. Cedar is also lighter than pine. This weight difference isn’t large, but when you’re dealing with lots of boxes, any weight reduction is welcome.
Which is more expensive, cedar or pine?
Cedar is traditionally more expensive than pine. However, most beekeepers will see this up-front cost fade due to the durability and longevity of cedar over the years
How long do cedar fences last?
A study by the University of Maine found that found that surveyors’ cedar corner posts and rail fences were still serviceable after 50 to 60 years of use whereas pine only lasted 4 to 7 years.
Is pine better than cedar?
Pine Benefits. Beekeepers have been building boxes out of pine since the first Langstroth hives, and the bees don’t complain. One benefit of pine is that it is more affordable than cedar, and more readily available.
Can you paint cedar with pine?
Cedar Benefits. Because painting cedar isn’t necessary as it is with pine, you can get up and running quicker with a cedar box. Typically, pine is painted to protect it from weather conditions, but a cedar box is durable enough that it will not deteriorate as quickly in the elements.
Is pine wood heavier than cedar?
Depending on the size of your box and the thickness of the wood, the weight can be about the same, but generally, pine is a little heavier than cedar.
Can you use cedar for hives?
When making hives, it’s best to use kiln dried cedar to ensure the wood is dried properly and minimize any splitting. All GloryBee cedar hives are kiln dried, and we haven’t had any complaints about our wood splitting.
