Jane
We have also experienced a few hives which are very thorough about
chewing up and discarding such cardboards (not usually sticky boards
since we cover them with wire mesh). We were inserting veg oil soaked
corrugated cardboard at 7 day intervals. In most cases the 5 inch
squares were mostly unchanged, or nibbled a bit at the corners. (A
beekeeper did this on a larger scale, then abandoned it. We have found
those squares nearly like new after a year.) A few colonies however,
attacked the cardboard and all that was left in 7 days was the shreds on
the bottom board. Many bees must have been involved.
I wonder if the behavior is correlated with brood removal hygenic
behavior.
Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
1201 103 Ave
Dawson Creek B.C.
V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (604) 784-2225 fax (604) 784-2299
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