To Paint or Not To Paint

[Kwin the Eskimo]

I started this year with a cypress hive. Being a newbee, I assembled (per instructions) and got started. The hive has been thriving all summer. Now I wonder, should I have painted the hive or not? I would guess this is something you can't do after the fact. Any suggestions?

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stoppainting

"The hives need no painting, although there is no harm in doing it if their owner wants to please his own eye. The bees find their way to their own hives more easily if the hives do not all look alike. I rarely paint mine, and as a result no two are quite alike. Most have the appearance of many years of use and many seasons of exposure to the elements." --Richard Taylor, The Joys of Beekeeping

"I suppose they would last longer if painted, but hardly enough longer to pay for the paint." --C.C. Miller, Fifty Years Among the Bees

"Following the teachings of G. M. Doolittle, in whose ideas I have great confidence, I think there is better chance for the moisture to dry out of unpainted hives than out of painted ones. I have seen a painted hive in my cellar damp and moldy when all the unpainted ones were in much better condition."--C.C. Miller

[mythomane]

I dont paint, but keep in mind both Miller and Taylor grew up with old-growth forest wood for deeps. Modern crappy pine/cypress does not last anywhere near as long.

[Beee Farmer]

I dip mine with permE8 when I have time others are natural ... I find that hive tool damage from improper use is more apparent than rot.. I have a couple of hundered used boxes from diffrent sources.

[BGhoney]

You can paint or stain. Depending on how wet your area is it will help with rotting. I have painted mine with bees in them in the winter. Cold dry days, 35 to 40 degrees, they don't come out and the paint drys in a day or 2. Stain might take longer to dry. I have a couple hives, kenya and long that are just varnished and they look very nice.

[Jeffzhear]

I gave up painting a few years ago....I dip my equipment in a gum rosin and wax mixture....no painting, no chipping, no anything...dip and go...