Hi Martha,
I currently have 4 active araucaria pine flow hives and 3 active cedar flow hives.
I did observe less wax moth on the bottom boards of the cedars. All over, I seem to observe less of SHB in the cedar ones as well, but it’s hard to say if the colonies coincidentally are more hygienic in those hives or if it’s the cedar.
I asked the flow people once in an email, and they didn’t think there was a difference.
According to my observations, I will stick with the cedar for now. Smells good, is lighter and is sort of more elegant.
Honestly, once you tung oiled a cedar hive, it looks like beautiful furniture.
Elegance is a quality neglected in beekeeping I feel. It becomes all about the honey and who cares what the hives look like.
Time eats away on the hive timber, but it’s always easy to wipe your cedar hive with a tung oil cloth.
All my hives still in boxes are cedar.
I keep good records, so in a year or so I may be able to post to you some better observations.
I now do paint the tops of the cedar roofs with water based house paint, but the roofs I just tung oiled are holding up ok, just need attention after a year out there. I will all paint them with house paint from now on. Looks good too.
No more pine for me.
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