I know that painting to close to arrival of a package may cause the bees to "reject" the hive as it has a foul odor.
What about household and home application chemicals stored in the same area as an unused hive prior to occupation?
Will the bees pick up the smell of epoxy, gorilla glue, or cleaners and other fluids that have been stored in the same 200 square foot area as the hive?
Just how sensitive and particular are these little buggars?
Thanks.
-Glenn
If your hive bodies are painted good, just place out side as if it were a standing hive.
It is going to stay out side any how, isn't it? :)doak
Doak,
Is that for the purposes of keeping them away fro chemicals, or to air them out if they've been stored around them?
I just realized today that I've been using epoxy in he next room, from where I have the hives stored.
I've never had them reject anything with gorilla glue, titebond III, epoxy, or latex paint. I've even got a couple nucs that are made of exterior chipboard that was used for shelves. Used motor oil had been stored on these shelves and it had soaked into the wood. You could clearly smell it. Especially if the nuc sat closed up for any period of time. I was a little concerned about it but I've been using them for 3 years now with no problems.
Paint whenever. I've had boxes glued and painted the day prior to use. They don't care. Just don't paint inside.
A couple days for airing out should be fine. Just stack one on top of the other and leave an opening at top and bottom. I have all the ones not in use stacked outside. When I need to re paint some I just stack 5 or 6 high and start at the bottom and paint all the way around and up. The right kind of paint will be dry enough by the time I get to the top to start over if it needs a second coat.
I repaint about every 3 years. The original paint job has 3 coats. I have had only one of the 4 boxes I started with 10 years ago to get some rot near the bottom. I just cut it down to a medium super. The rest of it is still solid. :)doak
Good question Glenn,
Wax and wood do absorb chemicals, whether direct contact or through the air.
I think a good policy is common sense, and just using precaution when able to do so. Much of what harms bees does not directly result in death of a colony. But many things may and can diminish the bees health. And some smells can even compete with the natural smells of the colony and queen. It could even make such things as supercedure and replacement of the queen a higher rate.
Sitting in that old oak tree in the middle of the forest, bees have little contcat with such chemicals. So as some have shown, bees unlike other insects, are super sensitive to chemicals.
I don't think anyone could say for sure one way or the other on such matters. So precaution and common sense should be the key. Especially when storing or keeping chemicals away from hives (or vice versus) can easily be done.
And since these hives are going to be producing and providing honey for you and your family, why not do what seems logical. You wouldn't store your loaf of bread, or paper plates in a workshop filled with constant epoxy fumes would you? So why do it for the bees?
Thanks to all for the advice and info., and in advance to anyone else who wants to throw their experiences into this pot.