Painting Boxes

papabear · February 20, 2007, 11:12:58 AM

Does it matter what color the boxes are painted? My favorite color is orange. Would this cause any problems? I've seen them painted a few different colors mainly white. Thanks

SteveSC · February 20, 2007, 11:34:17 AM

Paint'm all orange... there's not but one orange: CLEMSON TIGER orange..! :-D :-D Put tiger paws all over'm....!

lively Bee's · February 20, 2007, 11:47:02 AM

The color wont matter I have some white brown tan gray I went away from paint and now use linseed oil and ceder fence stain.

But if your going to paint them orange It needs to be UT VOLS orange :)

Scadsobees · February 20, 2007, 01:34:46 PM

A lot of beeks (including me) paint them any color found in the mis-tint cheap rack at the hardware store.
I think that light colors are popular because it reflects sunlight in the summer.

If you are in a rural area with a lot of destructive ya-hoos (or in the city with annoying neighbors) go with a camoflage color.

Orange is fine.

Mine are white or light baby blue (hey, it was cheap!!!).

-rick

Kathyp · February 20, 2007, 01:44:39 PM

QuoteCLEMSON TIGER orange..!

no one will notice that!! :-)

i use the mis-tint paint also. whenever i go into one of the building stores, i check the mark down stuff. i tend to skip dark colors like royal blue, or black....but i think i have a can of baby blue too.... :-)

rsilver000 · February 20, 2007, 02:14:30 PM

I actually like the different colored painted hives that I see around. But use "Syracuse orangeman" orange if you must pick that color. Personally, I use whatever is lying around.
Rob

GTBee · February 20, 2007, 03:44:04 PM

People, people. Don't give someone such bad advice as to paint a hive orange! Especially Clemson orange! Here in Atlanta when we see a child with a Clemson shirt on we have the parents locked up for child abuse.
For a nice color selection, go with a nice gold or white such as used by the great institute of learning called GA TECH. :-D

papabear · February 20, 2007, 03:54:51 PM

Thanks for the help 8-)

Mici · February 20, 2007, 05:32:06 PM

just buy blue, white, yellow and red, the rest can be mixed out of these three (white is for lightening)

after you're finished paintingjust grab that paint brush and dip it in other colours and just add it, with a little luck, you can get a great looking pattern

Mine are mono-coloured for no, but as you can see...the whole palate of colours:D

the red one is unoccupied so it's not here, well some say bees can't see red but...i think it's like you'd say people can't say black, at least i think it is so. anyway you can use red.

Kirk-o · February 20, 2007, 06:47:35 PM

No paint for me sometimes white
kirk-o

pdmattox · February 20, 2007, 07:42:51 PM

Quote from: papabear on February 20, 2007, 11:12:58 AM
Does it matter what color the boxes are painted? My favorite color is orange. Would this cause any problems? I've seen them painted a few different colors mainly white. Thanks

I think the lighter the color the less heat it will absorb. I painted mine a key lime and also white. Exterior acrilic latex after a primer coat.

Michael Bush · February 20, 2007, 08:37:35 PM

natures pride · February 21, 2007, 05:59:28 PM

Don't paint them inside, bees have to spend more time putting propolis on them. Summer heat will make inside paint smell like paint and bees won't like it. Color doesn't matter unless your in a very hot area; then use a light color to reflect heat. Very important use flat latex and not gloss. Latex allows wood to breathe and let moisture out, lessens rotting. Depending on how many hives you have you may want to consider driffting and paint some a little different. spots on the lid or front, squares, triangles slash marks from the paint brush on the opening. Bees can tell the pattern of thier own hive and helps them from wandering into the wrong hive. They won't be considered robbers and will be accepted. Do paint the top and bottom edge. The fellow who suggested off tints, purchased in your paint store, left over shelf, was right ; gd way to get cheap paint. Also my (Pierce County Beekeepers ) club people tell me inside paint works as well as outdoor. Orange my work out very well. I got off pink paint, when the grass is tall and dry they actually blend in. This hides them from mischief . Another fellow mentioned a nice color for neighbors, good plan. Most people have no idea what bee boxes are so if it's not an eyesore they ( nieghbor) won't spend much time worring about it.

Cindi · February 22, 2007, 12:29:03 AM

Mici, some very nicely painted hives.

All my hives are white. I want no other colour. White stands out well. Reflects heat. I do not have to worry about mischief and neighbours with my hives and I am grateful for that. I am secluded from neighbours.

With the white boxes, I can tell what is going on from a distance with the colonies by looking at the dark bees against the white box. If there ever were a problem with nosema, it would be very quickly seen, bee poop on a white hive really stands out. White is a clean and pure colour and I believe that if one helps to keep things clean this can only in turn be a good thing in many other aspects. Stickin' to white. Best of days. Cindi

Finsky · February 22, 2007, 01:20:02 AM

I wonder how Mic's hive can stand on those rods. I think that the law of gravity tryes to get hives nearer the ground. :-P

mick · February 22, 2007, 02:48:46 AM

Mici whats the story with the beard of bees hanging down?

Cindi · February 22, 2007, 10:33:22 AM

Mici, I was very curious about how do you get to inspect the hives when they are side by side like that? I would be curious about how you do stuff, like even getting the honey off. Very interesting hives, but I don't understand how they work. It looks like you have the shallow boxes, but when I look at the side of the first colony, I see a solid side, or is that just how the picture has come across on my computer screen. Tell us about it. Best of days. Cindi

Drone · February 22, 2007, 11:58:59 AM

Quote from: Finsky on February 22, 2007, 01:20:02 AM

I wonder how Mic's hive can stand on those rods. I think that the law of gravity tryes to get hives nearer the ground. :-P

My thoughts exactly. During a flow, I can see that "table" having to support well over 500 lbs. Just looking at the picture scares me.

That being said, I have a bad habit of way over-engineering anything I get my hands on. I'm funny that way. 8-)

-John

Mici · February 23, 2007, 01:47:04 PM

oh, those 4 rods gonna do just fine...the one that looks as if it bend, well it didn't, a sloppy job ramming it into the soil :-P oh and that blaxk stuff on the rods, i wanted to stop the ants-unsuccesfully, smeared it with grease, helped for about a day.

the bee-beard, huummm, nope, no story at all. only that it was my strongest hive last year and they "bearded" for about two weeks, i guess when they got hot.

i decided to paint my hives in all colours, and so they are, like i said, the red one is still unoccupied so is the white one. i don't like the white colour to much, like cindi said, you quickly see any dirt on it.
about inspecting them and stuff, look at my gallerie it think you can see very well how they are managed
http://s108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/Mici_02/Cebele-bees/