Investigation of the usability of heat treated wooden material in the production of bee hive

The purpose of this study was to evaluate suitability of heat–treated wood for bee hives. Langstroth type bee hives were constructed of heat-treated (HT) Scotch pine wood and controls made of untreated wood of the same wood species. The two types of hives were compared in terms of internal humidity and temperature differences. Additionally their resistance to biotic and abiotic factors and bee colony behavior observed visually for 10 months. Mean relative humidity of HT hives were found 0.6% lower than control hives. Although the average inner temperature of HT hives (24.23 °C) and control hives (24.60 °C) were very close, internal temperature of HT hives measured 0.5° C, 1.4 °C and 0.08 °C lower than control hives for summer, fall and winter months respectively. In contrast to other months inner mean temperature of HT hives were 0.7 °C higher in spring months. We did not observe any disturbing effect of heat treated wood on bee colony. In contrast with control hives, we also did not observe any visual sign of biological degredation on HT hives during the project