>Bob Watson asked about egg cartons to start smokers.
Some clarification on the cardboard. The glue between the corregated
cardboard was the stuff that caused problems when burned. I doubt if
thin, non-glued regular cardboard is any different than paper for
starting a smoker and is just fine.
I remember recently reading that different fuels were used to knock down
varroa and in that study, some fuels, including cardboard did cause
problems with bees which surprised the researchers.
As in most things we do to our hives in spring and summer, we can
inadvertently kill off a few hundred or thousand bees and never know it
because of the build-up. I think there are several things, like moldy
comb, which the bees deal with but it does kill them. We just do not see
it. Which is the reason I asked about cleaning combs of mildew. I have
no problem with bees cleaning up extracted frames. That is like your mom
letting you lick the frosting from the spoon. But did she have us lick
the mildew and mold from bathroom fixtures? I don't even want to think
about dysentary. I would be looking for a 1-800 number.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME