This is an easy one- Take an old band aid box, or other tin box that is no thicker than a comb, and lay it on top of an old piece of comb. Cut out a piece of comb the same size as the box. Shove the box into the hole in the comb. When placed back into the hive, the bees will neatly seal the box into place, and caulk up any holes and seamswith propolis, creating a very tidy seal.
You can also take a stack of paper, and wrap it up with oillcoth, canvas or other sturdy fabric, dip the packet in beesway, and then supend it in a frame- put it in your hive that gathers the most propolis. They will seal it up very nicely, if the beesway hasn't done that job already.
For short term storage, a frame sized syrup feeder works great- just drop you packet into it, and if it is out of the bees way, they will usually leave it alone.
Laurie R King had Sherlock holmes hide a tiny treasure box in a hive of bees that is swarming like crazy in "A Letter of Mary" and I'm sure other writers have done the same. I was hoping it might get done in "Ulees Gold" but was dissapointed.
I have been known to keep a little gas and lunch money tucked away in a band aid box in a syrup feeder, since there are no ATM machines handy to this yard Once sealed with propolism they can be quite air and syrup tight, and can even act as a feeder float- tho I wouldn't recommend risking it with more than $20!
Ellen, In Michigan
Janet Montgomery <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
<snip>
So It is possible for paper to survive, at least in the protection of a
cover
Dan Veilleux
North Carolina
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