[WillH]

My two hives are two and a half feet apart. I painted both with the same latex paint, sky blue color. Now I am thinking I must be confusing bees by having the same color and they may be entering the wrong hive. I want to paint one with red latex paint while bees are still in it. Will this be toxic to the bees. Has anyone painted a hive while bees are in it? Thanks.

 

[g.gill]

You could simply paint a red circle above one enterance and a green square about the other enterance. You can do this at night.

The bees will recognize the difference between the two hives or so it says in the "Hive and Honey Bee".

 

[AR Beekeeper]

With two hives you will have no problem with drifting. Having different colors and shapes on the hives has little effect on drifting. If you still want to paint, go ahead and paint at night. Latex will dry rapidly and the odor won't bother the bees.

 

[rkr]

With two hives you will have no problem with drifting.

True.

ARBeek is shooting you strait.

Bees drift to the end hives when placed in a long row, according to common knowledge.

That is why my hive stands have a pair hives and the stands are several feet apart. Thus the are no long rows for the bees to gravitate to the two on the end.
I also paint my landing boards different colors, that way I do not have to keep the same boxes together, in case I need to do some maintenance on one.

RKR