Contamination problem

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rupbees

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I am a new buzzer and have cobbled together 3 WBC hives for my 3 colonies. About a month ago I was given a brood and a super for one of the WBCs. As a good beekeeper I scorched the insides of the boxes and noticing abit of active woodworm was advised to use Cuprinol clear.
On trying to find this at my local hardware store I came across a simular product called Blackfriar Gold star seal on special offer certainly half the price of Cuprinol clear.

I even phoned blackfriars customer service before purchasing their product to check that the useage would be OK for what I intended it for. I was told that it would be fine but to allow it to air dry for at least 48 hours. Over 2 weeks later at last I was going to put it to use.
I was putting a new nuc into my WBC on Friday evening feeling happy that at last they needed more space and as the nuc had been sitting right next door to the WBC did not think there would be a problem. All was well until I put the glass crown board on the brood box. There was all of a sudden mass panic watching through the glass with alot of wings flapping and to my horror at the entrance bees were piling out on their back with their legs in the air as though they were in pain. The longer I watched the more I was concerned so decided to put them back into the nuc box again.

while doing this I noticed that the remaining bees wings and bodies on the frames were all sticky from the uncapped honey and even the clipped queen looked as though she was suffering from the same problem.
Within half an hour of them back in the nuc box calm had descended once again and by the following morning the workers were busy pulling out the dead and tieding up.

My only thought behind this disaster was the BLACKFRIAR GOLD STAR CLEAR--- Has anybody else experienced this contamination problem or can advise what else it might have been.
 
Hi Thanks for this - I too am a new ‘buzzer’ and have residual, not active, woodworm in my hive; so what was the outcome? All best, Richard - newbie also trying to find out about painting it?
 
Rupbees, I can't advise on your supplementary problem but with regard sourcing. B&Q stock Cuprinol clear as a std item, last check was Saturday!

A possibly silly sense check - you only treated the outside of the boxes I hope?
 
As far as I am aware the Cuprinol clear that is "recommended" for the treatment of hives is purely a timber preservative designed to prevent fungal decay. It will not kill active woodworm. Any products stating that they will kill woodworm will harm the bees and this type of product will linger in the wood to ensure continued protection. Thats why I was suspicious about using reclaimed floorboards etc when I built my hives in case they had been treated.
 
We treat for woodworm unnecessarily here in the UK. Good ventilation and a dry environment will sort out wood boring insects as they like it damp and stuffy. Old properties suffered a lot; modern houses with central heating are usually safe from woodworm attack.
Not easy to kill existing woodworm in an old bee hive. I certainly would not use any insecticide. Wood by nature is not only porous allowing for moisture to evaporate it also breathes, but it won’t if it is painted. So unless it is a double skin hive as the WBC, I wouldn’t even paint it externally.
Better to have a roof with a good overhang so the sides stay relatively dry on the outside.

I am in the process of making pitch gable roofs for my National hives with a mega overhang. They will look more like a traditional hive, should be cooler in the summer as I am installing 25mm Kingspan sandwich, which will also hold in the heat in the winter.
 
As far as I am aware the Cuprinol clear that is "recommended" for the treatment of hives is purely a timber preservative designed to prevent fungal decay. It will not kill active woodworm. Any products stating that they will kill woodworm will harm the bees and this type of product will linger in the wood to ensure continued protection. Thats why I was suspicious about using reclaimed floorboards etc when I built my hives in case they had been treated.

See prevoius thread, Cuprinol clear is now not approved by Cuprinol as beesafe...so you take your chance..its stronger than before ( blue Cans) so get the old green cans if you can, yuo can still find them as the spec only changed recently

Wickes Clear now contains an insecticide


blackfiers is a simialr mix with insecticide permethrin

WOOD PRESERVATIVES 8317 DICHLOFLUANID + PERMETHRIN + 3-IODO-2-PROPYNYL-N-BUTYL CARBAMATE BLACKFRIAR WOOD PRESERVATIVE GOLD STAR CLEAR TOR COATINGS LTD PROFESSIONAL
 
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I've been using a B&Q brand wood preserver (for sheds and fences) that stated that when dry it does not affect insects and wildlife, it comes in the usual gerden shades which are not very nice but it seems to do the job well, it's fairly cheap, comes in a 5 litre bucket and as yet I have seen no negative results in the few years I have been using it. I don't have it with me right now but I will have a look tomorrow and give you the exact name of it.

Enzo
 

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