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View Full Version : Hive camouflage that works... with proof!


Ben Brewcat
10-21-2006, 03:34 PM
I almost forgot to post this. While on vacation, I spoke with a neighbor who reported that a bear had been tranquilized in my yard, no damage to the hives thank goodness. By the time we got home, the video shot in my yard by news crews had made it onto CNN. Apparently she seemed drunk and everyone thought it was terribly funny, human interest hook, blah blah. Turns out she was sick and was put down.

Point is, there were two news crews filming a cute bear IN MY YARD and none of them saw the hives they were looking straight at (or they likely would've filmed/commented; none of the local coverage mentioned them either!). See the video link if you like... the shot of the bear staggering about ends with a left pan that got edited to fade just as you would have seen two hives in plain sight about 20 feet behind her.

Video of bear (http://www.9news.com/includes/buildasx.aspx?fn=http://wm.kusa.gannett.edgestreams.net/news/1159916912779-10-03-06-drunkbear-4p.wmv&sp=http://wm.kusa.gannett.edgestreams.net/ads/sales/pre-stream/intelligentoffice8-06b.wmv)

The hives are stained with Behr (no pun intended smile.gif ) stain called "bayberry", a darkish natural-looking green. In front of my hops, next to lilac bushes, you don't notice them at all. Since I'm in town, on Main Street no less, I did the stain as a neighbor-relations preventative action. The stain was recommended at my club after a few hives got vandalized. Here's a pic with the same garden cart in the foreground as the crews filmed. The hives are a lot shorter now, and there's less foliage around them, but you get the idea.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/Brewcat/camohives001.jpg

Just thought I'd share for other urban or stealthy beeks, now that equipment-building season is nearly here.

notaclue
10-21-2006, 07:18 PM
I like the picture, just not able to get the video to come up.

David

Tom Chaudoir
10-22-2006, 01:13 AM
I got a blank page for the video too.

The image showed up. Very stealthy color. I strive for that effect by watching the shelves of rejected paint at local hardware stores. Earthy looking tones of brown and/or green come home with me. Bright colors are an invitation to vandalism, and a reason for neighbors to blame me for every insect bite or scary looking bug.

[ October 22, 2006, 02:14 AM: Message edited by: Tom Chaudoir ]

MichelleB
10-22-2006, 01:22 AM
I got to see the video, no problems here. I like the stains! I do a green paint myself; blends in well in my forested property. Of course, the blinding white electric netting fence is a dead-giveaway...

Barry Tolson
10-22-2006, 11:56 AM
I noticed the nice bee watchin' chair in front of the hives! I'm sure my neighbor thinks I've lost my mind when she see's me sitting a foot away from the hive just watching. Still...I think everyone should have a good bee watchin' chair like that.

Ben Brewcat
10-22-2006, 03:00 PM
Yep, my summer routine is: work, walk dog, pour pint, bee therapy (repeat step 3 as necessary smile.gif ) , dinner. Not only fun, but you get to watch what pollen is coming in and assess their mood. Mainly I keep doing it so new neighbors see a guy in shorts and tee-shirt, feet propped on a beehive, without a care in the world. Works wonders for the anxious folks!

Tom Chaudoir
10-22-2006, 03:02 PM
I agree. I have 2 chairs like that, plus a little plastic end table for beverages. Endless entertainment and no commercials smile.gif

Sorry, Ben but I couldn't help snooping the rest of the album. This one is a gem.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/Brewcat/Pollenforaging4-16-06028.jpg

Ben Brewcat
10-22-2006, 03:08 PM
Thanks! Part of my series to try to photo pollen forages on their blooms to match the pollen when I see them at the entrance. Got my crabapple (pictured), dandelions, a couple others somewhere. That girl just happened to be showing off; can't remeber why I put it up. Anyway, won't see that again for a few cold months :( .