Beekeeping involves a variety of tasks, including providing the best possible shelter for bees to lead healthy, productive lives. However, painting hives is more about making life easier for the beekeeper than the bees themselves. To paint a beehive, choose a non-toxic, low-VOC exterior paint and apply three coats for good protection. Paint only the outside parts of the hive that are exposed to the elements, not the inside, as paint has chemicals that can interfere with bees’ communication.
It is not necessary to protect the wood as it isn’t exposed to the environment. Painting the inside of your beehive is simple if you remember the basic principle: paint the outside and leave the inside where the bees live unpainted (the only exception is the bottom board).
Painting your beehive is not just aesthetically pleasing but also beneficial to the bees. A little bit of color on the exterior of the hive can help control the climate of the hive. Look for water-based exterior latex with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and allow time for off gassing before installing bees. The most important rule is to paint the outside of the hive but leave any interior parts alone.
Unpainted wood can absorb moisture whereas painted wood cannot, so it is essential to paint or seal the wood on the outside of the hive. If wooden hives are painted inside, it makes it difficult to clean the box with flame, as paint will be burned.
📹 Beekeeping | Painting Old Hive Boxes With Bees Inside
Beekeeping means keeping our bee hives in good repair by painting them every couple of years. But, how can we paint a hive …
Is it better to paint or stain a beehive?
Bee boxes are essential for their survival and aesthetic appeal. They can experience wear and tear from environmental forces like sun, rain, and temperature changes, which can cause damage. A good layer of paint can protect the wood by minimizing damage and keeping it looking great for longer. Light paints, like white, reflect sunlight, keeping the hive cooler in hot temperatures, while dark paints absorb warmth and keep it warmer in winter. Depending on the climate, you may choose either light or dark paint for your bee box.
Beekeepers can also choose to be discreet about their beekeeping endeavors by painting the beehive the color of the surrounding buildings or environment to camouflage it from unwanted attention. There are various options for painting a beehive, including plain white, artistic designs, or a clear coat to protect the natural wood grain without changing its color.
Can painting the hives with Colours help the bees?
Painting your bee box can help regulate temperature by reflecting sunlight and keeping the hive cooler in hot temperatures. Dark paints absorb the sun’s warmth, keeping the hive warmer in winter. Depending on your climate, you may choose light or dark paint for your bee box. Beekeepers can also choose to be discreet by painting the beehive the color of the surrounding environment to camouflage it from unwanted attention.
There are various options for painting a beehive, including plain white, artistic designs, or a clear coat to protect the natural wood grain without changing its color. Ultimately, choosing the right paint for your bee box depends on your climate and preferences.
Is it safe to paint a bee house?
Latex paint is the optimal choice for painting bee hives due to its accelerated drying time and ease of cleaning. It is recommended that only the exterior and rims of the hive be painted, and not the frames, inner covers, or queen excluders. It is possible to paint the edge of screened inner covers, and it is advisable to paint telescoping covers inside in order to facilitate the identification of beetles. It is advisable to allow sufficient time for the paint to dry in order to prevent adhesion.
Why do beekeepers not like flow hives?
The Flow Hive is often criticized for creating or promoting “lazy beekeeping” practices, where people who get a hive don’t learn much about their work and never perform inspections. This type of beekeeper will harvest honey when they feel like it, regardless of the style of hive they use. It is rare for this type of beekeeper to progress far enough with a colony to fill a Flow Hive, as the colony may die before it fills a honey or Flow super.
Another point of contention is that unmanaged hives will sicken the hives of responsible beekeepers nearby. However, this is a complaint about the beekeeper rather than the Flow Hive. Many blame the original teaser video for attracting potential lazy beekeepers, claiming it was deliberately misleading. However, the author suggests that the inventors of the Flow Hive were trying to appeal to existing beekeepers and were impressed with how they responded to the criticism they received.
They were already wildly popular, breaking crowd funding records almost immediately, but went the extra mile because they are not some soulless corporation. They have created a wealth of educational resources for new beekeepers for free, such as a blog, videos, and a forum.
In conclusion, the Flow Hive has been criticized for creating lazy beekeeping practices and promoting unmanaged hives. The author emphasizes that these criticisms are a complaint about the beekeeper rather than the Flow Hive.
What color do bees hate the most?
Bees are attracted to flowers, so avoid bright and floral prints on plates, napkins, and table covers. Dark colors like red and black can provoke bees, so stick to white or pale colors. Your smell can also affect bee visits, so avoid perfumes that smell like flowers. When dining outside, follow tips from bee and wasp removal professionals like The Bee Man to have a better outdoor experience with less unwanted flying guests. Bon appétit!
What not to do to a bee hive?
Avoid spraying chemicals or pesticides into the hive to aggravate bees, as they may not kill them immediately. Instead, consider using natural remedies like moth balls, vinegar, cinnamon, or cucumber to keep them away. Avoid trapping or isolating bees, as this may aggravate the colony and make them more aggressive. Instead, try using natural remedies like vinegar, cinnamon, or cucumber to encourage bees to leave. Professional bee removal services can help find ways to lure bees away.
What to coat bee hives with?
Beehive wax coating is a sustainable and reliable method for protecting beehives from diseases and environmental factors. It preserves the wood and helps bees from diseases, which are becoming more prevalent as many colonies are dying off. Bees are more likely to accept a wax-coated hive than a painted or stained one. Wax can withstand rain, sun, and snow, providing additional protection from environmental factors that can damage the hive and cause it to rot.
Additionally, a wax-coated beehive has a beautiful golden sheen, resembling a stained hive. The beeswax also has a slightly sweet, pleasant smell that both you and your bees will enjoy. Applying beehive wax to wooden hives is easy and requires only a few simple steps.
Should I paint the inside of my flow hive?
When choosing a finish for timber boxes, it is recommended to leave the inside unfinished to maintain the natural wood for bees. To prevent excessive expansion in wet weather, coat the inside of window covers. If the finish has a strong smell, leave it for a few days before installing bees. Varnish treatment has limited success, as it can cause moisture from inside the hive to affect the external finish and cause mold or discoloration. For the longest and most effective protection, paint all roofs, including western red cedar, with at least two coats of high-quality exterior paint.
Can you paint a hive with bees inside?
Painting a beehive is a simple process that involves painting the outside and leaving the inside unpainted. It helps protect wooden hive parts from weather elements like rain, snow, and sun. Before painting, coat the hive with an exterior primer, such as an oil-based one, for better weather protection. The color of the primer is not important, but it is important to seal and protect the wood, improve the adhesion of the final coat of paint, and resist moisture and mildew.
White is the classic color for a topcoat color, but any color can work. Avoid black or dark colors as they may cause the hive to get too hot in the summer sun. Any leftover exterior house paint can be used, and if you’re not picky about the color, you can save money by using discounted “oops” paint on clearance at the hardware store. As long as the color is not too dark and the paint is exterior house paint, it can be used to paint your hive.
What paint is safe for bee hives?
Bee boxes and woodenware should be painted with low VOC water-based exterior latex paint, as VOCs can negatively affect bee health. The paint can be found on the label, with under 100 being ideal and under 50 being better. If staining equipment, look for a low VOC, water-based stain or clear coat. White or light colors keep hives cooler, while darker colors absorb the sun’s warmth, making them suitable for cold winters.
Some beekeepers choose paint colors for camouflage, such as greens or browns. Some beekeepers buy mistinted paints at discount stores, but it’s important to invest in quality exterior paints that won’t prematurely fail due to the time and effort involved in painting bee boxes.
What color should you not paint a beehive?
Low light reflectance value (LRV) colors are indicative of elevated temperatures, whereas higher LRV shades are suggestive of reduced temperatures. It is advisable to avoid the use of black paint with a 0 LRV level, as this may result in overheating of the hives.
📹 I Don’t Paint My Hive Boxes. Here’s Why…
I get asked quite often what I use to preserve my hive boxes. Allow me to explain… I don’t think latex paint is a good idea on …
Been following you for a little bit now and new beekeeper. Having a great time and love working the bees. You have provided a lot of awesome information that is helping me become a better beekeeper. Have and love your full online courses and watch it multiple times.’ I wanted to ask since you removed a single box for painting if you have ever replaced a full hive box (all boxes) all at once and if there is any problems when you do that. My hives are unpainted boxes and I was thinking of painting an unused hive of boxes then replacing the active unpainted hive so I don’t have to do a multiple coat paint job on an active hive. I was not certain if I should pull multiple boxes of colony at one time or if I should do individual boxes over a slower replacement time. Thanks again and keep putting out the articles!
To comment on your ‘hate’ talk. I look at it this way. If you don’t have enemies, you never stood up for yourself. It’s a quote from someone but I can’t remember who it was. As for painting hives. Thanks. I have’t painted my stuff in years. I need to start getting them cleaned up this week if I have the time.
I love your articles. Not only do I learn more about beekeeping and the challenges we might face, but also get a positive message about life itself. We all go through our own personal issues but in the end we are alone. The reason we face these issues is so we can overcome them and learn from the situation. The result from overcoming is that we may lift up others who are facing the issues we had and encourage them that they might do the same. Blessings on you.
Hi Dave, We’re around your age and we won a contest back in Feb. It was a hive and accessories! We have been studying beekeeping articles on Youtube because we are totally new at this and trying desperately to educate ourselves. We found you and love your website, and subscribed—BEST by far! We love ‘coffee (tea!) time too. We picked up our bee package over May 30. You’re right—It was time for a new adventure! We are so afraid of doing something wrong and hurting our bees. We would love to take your course so much but unfortunately with Covid/job losses we can’t afford anything. We’re perusal and re-watching your articles, hoping we can get really good at this! It’s rewarding to do it together. We want to thank you for all that we are learning from your website. Thank you for coffee time talks too. You’re an inspiration to us and we feel a little less alone in the ‘newbie’ beekeeping wilderness!
Hi David Patrick from Warlingham UK your doing good our journey is what’s it’s about the bee said it all and you ask it the big questions since March 21 l have been shearing my world with some bees in Surrey and Somerset (Combwich) near the Ocean your knowledge has helped its a fast learning curve thank you. My bees like camomile tea with their syrup. Regards to you and your family.
People are on a very short fuse during the pandemic and they have more trouble calming down. Things have changed so much since we had freedom and a comfort zone. People go off it easier. Little things like a parking space or something are like the last straw! Ha ha lucky I have my bees to keep me calm. Holding a lot of anger is very bad for your mental health. I sound off a lot but usually don’t hold on to the anger. I think sounding of to myself is very good for me tbh.
Since you have such a following and you are having a painting lesson today, I was a painting contractor for 30 years. Using ACRYLIC LATEX is the best quality and you can buy mistints for a 10th of the price of retail. When some company has a sale for Latex …check the type and make sure it is not VINYL LATEX…This is bottom of the barrel so to speak…this will not last more than a couple of years…I have hives painted 10 years or more……prime and always put two finish paints ..thanks for you having a painting lesson today…I enjoy your lessons and research
I always wondered if I could paint a live hive. I had to box up a swarm and the boxes weren’t completely painted yet. Good idea on breaking them apart in an hour or two. You said something on the hate subject – that haters can hate because they may be jealous. So I thought –> Is there anyone I dislike? Yes. Am I jealous of something materially they have or something they have done? Actually yes I am. I will make a choice to try and work on how I feel about them. Thanks for the enlightenment.
I think I learned by experience that bees are a bit more cranky as the sun goes down… 😳 got my first sting (and 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th) as I was just doing a quick maintenance visit at sunset! I’d love to heat your insights on what makes bees happiest (when should I visit? what smells do they like/hate on people?) in order to avoid learning through experience again.☺️
A extremely good coffee time subject.. Hate is instilled in each an everyone of us.. What really matters is IF we can disagree but yet agree we both disagree.. Their is so much hate in the world anymore, an in reality in the final end, we all are humans. It really doesn’t matter if you’re black, brown, white, yellow, or pink with polka dots you are a human. I lived, ate, slept an worked with all race’s in the military. Sure we’re some I did not love, an there were some that did not love being with me. But in the end, I knew when it come to living or dying; they had my back and they knew I had their back. And that one instance all hate would subside and we join together as one. Will my country that I love with all my heart and would die in a heartbeat for ever unite as one? I would like to hope humanity would take lessons from the Bee’s . perusal hours upon hours upon hours, different bees, different hives, different races! They all have the job to do and that is to survive.. Humans could learn a lot from studying the humanity traits of a bee. Yes bee’s will fight to protect their home hive but yet can come together as neighbors and survive.. I long for the peace an Harmony that mankind should promote and enjoy… As to painting? I have done experiments with the best oil paint money could buy versus the best water base money could buy. An honestly in the end? I can honestly say neither one weathered any worse or any better than the other. So the less toxics I can expose these to the better for their survival.
David, as a life-long non-coffee-drinker, I appreciated Tea Time. The bee drinking Earl Grey was classic! The rather new expression “haters gonna hate” kind of says it all, doesn’t it? If you fill your heart with love, there’s no room for hate. Makes you a generally happier person. I never thought about painting boxes with bees still in them! Learn something new every day. I sincerely appreciate your articles and sharing your experiences.
Great article. As a Master Beekeeper what book would you suggest if I want to learn in depth about my bees? I like your opinion on haters. In this day and age it’s crazy how people just hate over opinions. Society is making this acceptable. I’ve always been a person who wakes up and moves forward in self improvement. A lot of people don’t like that and I think it’s because they think I should sit down and stop doing things just because I’m over 50 and that’s what they did. I find that this creates a solitary environment for me. Earl Gray is my favorite too, I love bergamot oil in a lot of good things, like frosting and marshmallows. ❤️🐝-Kirsten
My tip is to use an airless spray gun at dusk when the bees are tucking into bed. The spray gun makes it super quick and the bees don’t even realise it’s happened. Spray gun makes a better finish and also dries quicker. My hives are the same colour so I’m not worried about over-spray. Don’t spray the entrance of course LoL.
Hello David. May 7, I installed 2 four frame nucs in my 10 frame boxes. 3 weeks later installed second deep. As a new bkeeper…none of my frames are drawn, all new plastic foundation. I have been feeding with top feeder 1:1 with protein and HBH as you have recommended. My top feeders hold about 4 litres each, but the other day when they where empty, I put in about one litre each. It was all gone in 24 hours. Should I keep feeding to encourage wax building? or should I remove the feeders until fall?
In SE PA we have clubs that wax dip our hive boxes. Reports from a NJ commercial beekeepers is his hives are going on 30 years. Mainly parrafin wax and/or micro crystaline parrafin wax with some resin added. 260-280*F for 10 minutes, cooks out wood moisture and replaces with wax. Our CCBA recently added 80-100# of beeswax beads to our last two was dipping sessions and it smells terrific. Down side $4 per item dipped. On my used painted gear I melt beeswax into the top and bottom edges to help preserve as those edges seem to rot first. What is the oldest hive you have with this product? Can you show how it weathers? I have been laser engraving / wood burning my new hive bodies this year to give some artistic flare. I can use the laser before (is best) and after wax dipping. Fun.
I started out assembling my own boxes and coating them with tung oil, but I don’t really have a good set up and it quickly became a pain in the butt. There is a guy here locally who assembles hive boxes and dips them in paraffin. It is really great equipment that is impervious to all the weather conditions Ohio can throw at it. It does cost me some $$ but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I decided pretty early on, I could be a beekeeper or a carpenter/furniture maker, but I couldn’t be both! 🙂
I’ve done Tung oil for my supers, and it seems to work just fine for summer boxes. However the 2 brood boxes I did it with were wrecked after just 1 winter. The wood was moved so much bees could crawl into the gaps! For the rest I’ve just gone with the exterior paint that matches my fence color, and it was only $30/gal which has triple coated half a dozen 10 frame deeps without making much of a dent in the can. I’d like to try a more natural look again sometime, and that product you’ve had experience with looks like it might actually work pretty well. It’ll be interesting to see how long it holds up especially with how much protection your boxes get.
Just to let you know I’m going to try this stain. I looked everywhere in my area and no one sells it. I looked on Amazon and it doesn’t have a good selection. I went ahead and contacted the manufacturer and ordered it directly from them,, it was cheaper and they processed it very quickly and said it will be here in 2 days. Thanks for the info. I’m going to try this and see how it goes.
Cool! I like the idea of the Vermont whey stain 🙂 Another reason hives are painted is to help your bees find their way home and help those virgin Queens return to the hive they left for their mating flight 🐝 maybe the kiddo would be into painting or wood burning some small images on the fronts of them. Anyhoo just and idea with my 1.5 cents 😉 Glad you did this article!
There are also a few traditional ways: 1: Old beekeepers around here used to boil theyr hives in bees wax. I’v heard that this worked really well but wax is expensive so most beekeepers rather sell the wax nowadays. 2: Propolis. A solution of propolis in alcohol can be used. It also works well but has to bee renewed regularly and (like wax) propolis can be sold for more than paint costs. 3: Lineseed oil was also commonly used and works well (if renewed from time to time) It can be quite cheap if you find the right seller (filtered oil for painting is best, non filtered for animal feeding (e.g. horses) is cheapest) Downside: takes a looooong time to dry (sometime weeks) It needs UV-radiation and oxigen to dry. The first layer should be pure, a second layer should be mixed with natural pigments. Darker pigments better protect the wood from UV-radiation. Lighter pigments work better if you don’t want the hive to overheat in the summer. I like Iron Oxide. It’s non-toxic and unexpensive. Thouroughly boiling the oil before use is the traditional way to make it dry faster…but still slowly. (It won’t penetrate the wood as deep as unboiled oil though. A good alternative for the second layer) PS: Only wax or propolis should be used on the inside. It’s your bees home…they don’t like unfamiliar chemical human stuff around. But the old bee keepers told me that the bees do this part themselves if you give them a few seasons time.
Hello from Tennessee! I watch all your articles and follow you on IG. Thank you for all your time and hard work! I wondered if you could give me some educated advice? I have 2 new Slovakian hives ( my first hives ever!) ready to start setting up in my hive house and I want to use poly whey on the fronts since the openings will be in the weather. Amazon shows that they…Vermont poly whey… have a juniper infused poly for interior use. Would this be good on the other outside parts of the hive that will be inside the bee house? Or just use exterior on all the outside? So excited to finally be joining the bee community.
As a former long time log home coatings contractor: Find a locally available coating. It gets spendy to import coatings across state lines. Coatings will last 3-5 years. Black has the highest uv resistance, longer life. For example, permachink is my local coatings producer, available locally and cheap.
Thanks! My mentor taught me to melt beeswax and linseed oil. We melt it together in an old coffee can and paint that onto the raw wooden hives. It does not create a seal. But with repeated applications the wax does create a nice build up. It smells great and the bees seem to like it. Just a suggestion.
Wanted to get you and your viewers thoughts on something I have been reading recently. In regards to how important propolis is for protecting colony health. It seems that the Langstroth hive design actually prevents bees from covering the inside of the hive with propolis, which helps protect them from environmental hazards. I have seen some conflicting theories on how to help bees produce more propolis to cover the inside of the hive, and was curious if you have heard of this or do something similar with your own hives?
In the Netherlands beekeepers often use hives made of styropor/eps. So insulation is not necessary, because they are already made of the stuff you put around around them for the first winter. Why not use those, since your winters are colder than ours? They are much used because of the weight (much lighter than wood) and they last for up to 25 years. Google ‘Segeberger’ and you see what I mean.
We have to paint down here or the boxes would disintegrate within the season. I use a primer/sealer coat and then latex on that. Works well through our rather extreme climate. But I’m always up for an experiment, so I might check out that stain (especially if it means fewer coats of stuff to do, as I just got another case of hive body parts to put out).
Hi, I live in Quebec/Canada where we have -40 to +40°C. I started 3 years ago and I put Exterior Translucent Wood Stain by Saman on cedar wood. They said one coat is enough, but I did two. Last year, on pin wood, I decided to try boiled linseed oil, two coats too (I just do the exterior). This year, I bought a hive with wax coating to compare the efficiency. I like to keep the natural wood colour. Also, linseed oil and beeswax coating are smells bees like. As two of my hives have a chalet roof, I used a paint/primer 100% acrylic flat white exterior paint just to give a better protection on the top, made by Sico.
Hey Jim…..so here it is 4 years later and the outdoor furniture (two benches, two Adirondack chairs, 4 side tables) we treated with the Vermont Natural Coatings goop is holding up great! This was brand new, unstained virgin wood and it soaked up this stuff like a sponge. As you mentioned, it’s important to put it on quickly and get that second coat on immediately before it dries. Just thought I’d follow up with a “real world” long term review. Thanks again. Bill
I really enjoy your articles and I honestly wish you did get the things that you use as you seem to really enjoy them! I do have one unanswered question though, instead of paint what do you use to color your different hives? (Like the resource hive) I’m not at all involved in beekeeping I’m just legitimately curious, oh and thank you!
I seen some bee keeper basically deep fry their wood boxes in wax. Then YouTube started recommending me articles of people treating their fences with motor oil. Obviously I’m like “that’s is not healthy “. Then I seen articles of people treating fences with cooking oil. In the end I thought maybe I will combine some different methods. I am wanting to deep Frye one of my boxes in used cooking oil after I use an old Japanese technique for preserving wood called sho sugi ban. Should last forever lol. And we will see how the bees react.
I bought a packet of Eco Wood from Home Depot for under $15. That packet will mix into a gallon of water. It claims to be a one and done wood treatment and a few woodworking beekeepers have discussed it on YouTube. I have one “bee barn” finished and another almost there. They aren’t as pretty as yours but I thought using different woods on the front of them might help the bees know which is which better.
“Latex paint breathes”? Whoever said so don’t know what they’re talking about. Alkyd paints may “breathe” some if painted thin, but it usually isn’t. High quality linseed oil paint breathes and is good for both wood and bees. You also have other traditional and modern paints that lets the moisture out, but they may be hard to find.
dude im scaling my operation and you saved me a whole lot of money……. I have a sawmill so I was planning on using some cool hardwoods and oils, but now I am glad I watched this so I didnt just paint and subsequently doom all my boxes that were gonna be made from pin oak and other scrubby wood I have.
I have a couple I put a water based red barn stain on just because I had some at the farm. It seems to be holding up and is super easy to apply compared to painting, 10 bucks a gallon. The others I put kilz 2 primer and then top coat with 9.00 a gallon mismatched paint. I make most of my stuff and try to keep it cheap because nothing is lasting too long in the baking sun and weather of the south. Nice article
My boxes are beeswax dipped from mfr – they say this is the longest lasting natural protection for the wood. I wish I had seen this article earlier I would have ordered raw unfinished wood. Maybe I’ll try a quart and see if the end cuts absorb this stuff… Just one more noob learning but hey, better late than never!
I scorch mine every year, nothing I have found in 36 years works that well on the inside of the hive, on the outside, free paint from your hometown paint store works as well as anything. Unless your anal about color scheme, I would suggest checking that out, I paint several hundred boxes every year and I still have my very first 10 frame hive! I agree with making sure you seal those end joints with a permanent coating day one though. My advise is use something to protect your investment, for me scorching and free paint works great. But I love this Vino Farm guy 👍
Starting beekeeping in spring of 2020.. Have equipment on order to start with 1 or possibly two hives and Italian Packaged Bees. Love perusal your vids! Very informative for the NUBEE. Have you considered the Apimaye hives? Would be interested in your opinion. Kind of pricey but the features might be worth the extra $$$.
Vino, could you help me if you can? I have a one years old “cedar” flow hive. Prior to use, I used Vermont Natural Coatings to stain the hive. One year later the stain is wearing off, so I tried using Tung Oil and it could not seep into the wood and just made a mess. I need suggestions on how to preserve my wood. Anyone? Help please?
I use 100% Acrylic. I prepare my boxes thinking of the bees inside not how they look but what’s best for bees. My boxes are six years old and look the same as 6 years ago just some bee droppings. I put one coat primer and two coats paint I use white or yellow alternating colours, and putting distinguishing markings on every front of hives. For the obvious reasons greatly reduces drifting which can be especially negative on hives if freshly Mated queen goes in wrong box. The other obvious reason is the heat factor. Lean against a white car in the sun when outside temp is around 90*F. Your boxes are darker in colour,and they all have the same appearance. The only thing I wish I had of done is seal the Joints at ends with putty, then primed and painted.
Received our gallon this morning. Pretty stoked to try this stuff. One note to anyone considering this product: The manufacturer states that it has a shelf life of one year from the date of manufacturing, not the sale date mind you. So if you pick up a can make sure that it hasn’t been sitting around the store for an extended period of time and that you only purchase what you’ll think you’ll use before it expires.
I got stung for the first time today. I wasn’t even holding anything standing next to the hive during inspection and I clasped my middle finger and thumb together and just so happen to catch a bee between them. Stung me in the finger. I had a buddy there-it was his first experience with bees. As I continued the inspection another one tried to sting me but I backed away from the hive and swiped her away each time she tried to peg me. I put on my veiled jacket and continued the inspection until she started trying to get my hands. I backed away from the hive and returned when she was leaving me alone again and just wrapped up the inspection a little early. As I was closing up the hive she got on me again and I walked towards my buddy saying, “I think this has been the same bee trying to get me.” About that time I guess I got in proximity of him and he wasn’t wearing a suit. The bee switched targets and went after my friend. She stung him in the back of the neck. He ran away and left after that. Rest of the inspection for my other hive and the one we were stung from went okay. I opened up the aggressors again and put their beetle buster in there. Didn’t see the queen but there’s eggs. I hope it was a fluke and it was the pheromone from the first sting. That is a about 3 week old package of bees and if they’re mean then I’m about to have a lot of meanies :P.
We used to own a building with wood windows near the ocean in California. The south facing windows were a serious problem that we never solved the whole time we owned the building. I wonder if this product would have helped, especially on windows that as part of the repair process ended up with most of the paint removed. All this is assuming that wood treated with this stuff can be painted. One thing that I would say is a major reason your hives are lasting well is the extra shade. Sun is the enemy with regard to painted wood. Our north facing windows required a lot less maintenance and windows that were completely out of the weather looked like they might last indefinitely. This is the first bee article I’ve seen that advocated extra shade but it seems like it might be a really good idea for the reasons you stated.
Was literally just thinking about going down to the hardware store this afternoon to get some paint for my new boxes, so this is great. I love the look of natural wood so I’m always bummed to paint my boxes. My only question is, how long before you need to re-apply a coat. or can you even, considering it soak into the box? As always, appreciate your very high quality articles and taking the time to share your experience.
@vinofarm love your vids! I live in Australia. The weather gets humid and has quite tropical weather. I really want to keep the natural wood look on the hive but other local bee keepers reccomend paint. I have the flow hive as I’m just starting out (like you attempted to have in the beginning) but in my case I only want 1 hive and I don’t have space to expand more hives so I’m happy with a flowhive for simplicity.. the flow hive articles and website show natural stained hives, not many painted in their articles.. But their website/manual still reccomends paint for longevity. What are your thoughts on this Whey product in a climate ours which has a lot of really hot days and a fair amount of humidity. Especially in relation to the araucaria wood they use in the flow hive. P.s: no snow where I live.. coldest where i am is about 5-10 degrees Celsius.
I just bought a gallon of this stuff on Amazon. As a facility director, I’m in charge of the physical upkeep of several different properties along with a lot of wooden, outdoor furniture. My team is always looking for more environmental friendly, low VOC solutions and after reading up on this product I am going to give it a whirl for certain applications. Jim, your website represents all that’s good in YouTube land. Thanks again for sharing.