# Is PT lumber toxic to bees?



## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

I heard opposing opinions regarding potential toxicity of pressure treated wood to bees.

Some say the stuff they use to treat lumber now is not toxic.

Also I bought a migratory "treated" cover from Mann's Lake. It looks colorwise like regular PT lumber.

I do not think they would sell stuff like this if it was toxic.

Anyway I am looking for PT lumber eventually to make bottom boards and covers.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

The chemicals in pressure treated wood are there to deter insects (termites) and decay. Bees are insects too. I use pressure treated for hive stands and bottom boards but I put at least three coats of good paint on it to prevent contact. University of Florida did a study with the latest PT chemicals and it is still toxic. Bees live in toxic environments, like fuel tanks but not in my bee yard.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

On our construction sites its illegal for us to cut the lumber in the front yard. It has to be cut on concrete then swept up.
That's enough to keep me from using it on hives.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

My brother owns a lumberyard so we can get a MSDS on it and it is TOXIC!!!!! But on the other hand you can do like americasbeekeeper says and paint it.If it gets wet and bees suck the water off of it you can get some dead bees.Keep it dry and keep it painted!!!! Also DONT BURN IT!!!! Smoke and toxins go into the air and back down on you and the ground!!!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

The cover you bought is Poplar. It is green all the time.


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## pascopol (Apr 23, 2009)

AmericasBeekeeper said:


> The cover you bought is Poplar. It is green all the time.


Poplar or not Poplar it is described as TREATED cover 

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1583&idCategory=20

If treated lumber is toxic to bees why would reputable company like Mann Lake sell treated covers?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Is PT lumber toxic to bees? 

YES!


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

What kind of popular is green? I have cut down a lot of live popular and it looks tan in color.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Sap wood popular is white tan and the heart is green as a gourd.We have sold a bunch of it at the lumberyard.


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

Is it that the gasout is toxic or walking on PT is toxic? does staining painting the PT landing board eliminate the hazard? At some point is the drying out make it safe?

I have built PT SBBs, & was expecting to paint/stain them to avoid direct contact.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

pascopol said:


> If treated lumber is toxic to bees why would a reputable company like Mann Lake sell treated covers?


Because not all treated lumber is toxic to bees. It depends on what one treats it w/. Not all wood prerservatives harm bees.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

All the chemicals in pt lumber is toxic.But not all preservatives are toxic.Its not gas out thing either.Water can leach out the chemicals and a bee sucking up that water can and will die.Paint it to seal the wood and your ok.


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## BoilerJim (Apr 15, 2011)

I don't use it because I don't want my honey exposed to it.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

When in doubt, and that's pretty often because we can't say with any scientific certainty, seal treated wood and plywood with a good sealer/primer and then paint with outdoor latex paint over the primer. Then you can sleep at night.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm pretty sure the one Mannlake sells is treated with Coppernaptante (sp) it is suposed to be safe after it is dried out. But, you will get some conflicting info even on that.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

All the experts I've talked to (the current "bee" scientists) think the copper napthanate is fine and the Pressure Treated lumber is poisonous. I don't want anything in my hive I wouldn't eat off of, so I'll pass on the copper napthanate...


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## losloboid (May 28, 2011)

What about Cop-r-Tox sold by many bee supply places (I bought my last can from Rossman's). I really have a hard time putting this stuff on my hives and I have always wondered if it is worth the extra protection? Keith Delaplane promots it in his videos "A year in the life of an apairy". He paints the outside of the hives with paint after treatment with Cop-R-Tox, but does not paint the inside of the hive after treating it with Cop-r-Tox. Any comments on this?


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## losloboid (May 28, 2011)

Sorry just did a search on Cop-R-Tox and it is a Copper Naphthenate Solution. Looks like John G already commented on this.


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## shylock3 (Jun 8, 2006)

Green in the heartwood of Popular is natural, lots of time when we saw it green or fresh cut, it will be blue but that leaves as it dries. I got worried about the pt wood some time ago. The only place I used it was for inner covers. I paint both sides and edges now. If it was making kids sick it couldn't be good for the bees.
This winter I'm going to try to make some hives out of Eastern Red Cedar which we have an abundance of. We know of a colony in a cedar tree thats been there 6 years at least and never been touched.


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