Effects of wood preservatives on the microenvironment in treated beehives were assessed by measuring
performance of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies and levels of preservative residues in bees, honey,
and beeswax. Five hives were used for each preservative treatment: copper naphthenate, copper
8-quinolinolate, pentachlorophenol (PCP), chromated copper arsenate (CCA), acid copper chromate
(ACC), tributyltin oxide (TBTO), Forest Products Laboratory water repellent, and no treatment (control).
Honey, beeswax, and honey bees were sampled periodically during two successive summers. Elevated
levels of PCP and tin were found in bees and beeswax from hives treated with those preservatives. A
detectable rise in copper content of honey was found in samples from hives treated with copper naphthenate.
CCA treatment resulted in an increased arsenic content of bees from those hives. CCA,
TBTO, and PCP treatments of beehives were associated with winter losses of colonies.
https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1984/kalni84a.pdf
