Preparing for next season

[Mickyboy]

Hi guys
I stared beekeeping in June this year , I have bought my hives from new and second hand , thus they are painted stained and clear preservative .
In the winter months I would like to paint them brown to make them look all the same . My question is what paint should I use that is not harmful to the bees

Thx

 

[protheroe]

if they arent cedar then i use fence paint.ducks back,one coat or whatever is on offer at the time.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Hi Mickeyboy.

My vote if starting fresh, is for linseed oil with a bit of beeswax melted into it.

But there are alternatives.

Read this thread - especially posts 5 & 6 by Hedgerow Pete:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7528


Dusty

 

[itma]

If they are cedar, then the classy thing is to leave them untreated - or clean off whatever gunk may be hiding the wood.
But that is really ONLY for cedar.


However, I'd suggest that its not automatically ideal for your hives to "all look the same".
Quite apart from helping you to remember which was the one that had something needing sorting out, looking different also helps the bees. It helps to minimise "drifting". Minimising that is a good thing for several reasons (good homework for you to figure out some of the reasons!) Many beekeepers deliberately put different decorations on each hive to help the bees …

 

[Hawklord]

New cedar is a very light colour and easily spotted by thieves and vandals. Mine are painted with green fence paint which makes them a bit more camoflaged. I suppose a a coloured pattern on the hive stand just below the entrance might help stop drifting so might do that next year.