Hive color

[jeremynj]

Is there any reason why most of the hives are white ? I painted all of mine white but I just found some left over paint in red, yellow, and blue. Will the colors mess up the bee direction or anything ?

[The Soap Pixie]

I just saw this question on natures nectar and the response was "the light colors keep them cool."

I painted mine pink and teal.

[odfrank]

I never paint them white. That screams "hey nasty neighbors, I am keeping bees here."

[Gord]

Tradition, and the fact that a lighter color won't absorb as much heat.

[Michael B]

I have hives stained dark brown and painted barn red. If you live in the deep south a light color keeps them cooler. Bees like hot and dry. In the northeast we worry much more about keeping bees warm than cool 10 months out of the year. Dark colors for me and in full sun.

[jeremynj]

Thanks for the info, now I have to think of a pattern. Too bad I didn't find any black to go with the yellow.

[Ted Kretschmann]

Jeremy, I live in Alabama. You would think I would paint beehives white. NO, we paint them brown and then take a paint brush and splotch them with hunter green paint for the camoflage effect. Thus when the bees which are on pallets are along the tree line, they are not noticeable. Out of sight, Out of mind. TK

[dixiebooks]

I got a deal on a gallon of mistint in a kind of sandy/beige color. Guess what color my hives are? BTW, the cheapest places I've found for 'mistint' are Lowes or Home Depot at $5/gallon or $1 for the quart, which actually is the better deal. Wal-Mart is about the worst place. They seem to want at least $10/gallon for mistint paint.

My "DCoates" nucs are painted a dark green due to the quart I bought in that color. Plus, that makes them much more hideable and I like it like that since I am using them as swarm traps.

-james

[Vance G]

Thirty years ago every hive you saw was white. I was building boxes as fast as I could for several years and I painted them whatever color I could get as long as it was exterior paint. Ain't saying I started it, but I see a lot of colors now. Now that I am starting over I tend to think camoflage as I paint. Here it is almost April and it is snowing and freezing out. I think I like dark colors.

[HONEYDEW]

White was the color because in them olden days white meant clean for food stuff, picture all early fast food joints and diners they didn't wear all the colorful uniforms they do now because it wasn't considered sanitary..I am glad for being in this era.....