Subject: Wasps chewing up hives?

From: Peter Hill <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 19:41:27 +0000

While tidying up for the winter season (here in the northern hemisphere)
we have noticed a lot of apparent chewing by wasps on the outside of
hives. Not enough to cause serious damage (in one season anyway) but
enough to cause concern long-term. The hives are of both ordinary
Softwood (pine) and of Western Red Cedar. We have not noticed anything
around in the summer and autumn (fall) except the usual lot of vespula
vulgaris doing their vulgar best to rob.

Please can anyone comment as to whether this is something we just put up
with, or is there a treatment for the outside of the hives which will
discourage vespula but not affect apis. We do not normally treat the
outsides of the hives, but paint each roof.

Many TIA.
-- 
Peter Hill, Grimsby and District BKA,
Grimsby, England.  G7IOY
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 28 Nov 1996 15:36:47 GMT

The wasps in my area of NY usually do not touch painted areas of the hives
but
they will go after aged, noncoated wood.  I have seldon seen them attack
new wood
but older wood seems to be attractive to them