Using cedar mulch around hives?

[dgc1961]

I am wanting to lay some mulch around my hives, and I have been using in the garden a mix of pine and cedar.  I know that cedar repels bugs, but does it also repel bees?

I don't want to lay it around the hive and hive them leave because of the smell.

Anybody with any experience with this?

[Robo]

I have no experience with cedar mulch,  but I have been unsuccessful trying to get colonies to abscond from trees by flooding the inside with Beegone.  If that won't make them leave, I can't imagine cedar chips around the hive would.

[JP]

Cedar is used to build closets in homes to store clothing and the idea is that it keeps moths out and as far as I know it does a good job of it.

Cedar mulch is different, its not in an enclosed environment and is subject to the elements, sun, rain, etc...

It will not repel as many insects as you think it will once mother nature beats down on it.

Here in southeast Louisiana Formosan termites love to dine on cedar. As for pine bark mulch, it will attract termites, as they love to feed on pine. Go with pine needles or cypress, bugs don't like to eat either one, but will still nest in these mulch types and any mulch type for that matter.


...JP

[Brian D. Bray]

The best bee hives I ever had were made of cedar.  It seemed much easier to get bees to accept cedar made hives over pine, fir, or hemlock made hives.  I've even found bees collecting cedar sawdust as if it were pollen, so I don't think cedar bothers bees in the least.

[slaphead]

I'm using cedar bark mulch under and around my hives.  It doesn't seem to bother them at all.  In addition several of my hive boxes are cedar and those colonies are growing like weeds  8-)

SH