Colourful beehives
Ever wondered why beehives are painted in so many different colours? Surely it would be simpler to paint hive boxes all the same colour?
Some beekeepers do this, but there is logic behind the odd collection of colours. Bees see colours well. They see a higher spectrum than we do, from yellow through to ultra-violet, though they interpret them quite differently – for example, it is said that bees see red as black. Ultra-violet, which is invisible to humans, is handy for the bees as it penetrates the clouds allowing the bees to orient their flights paths to where the sun is in the sky even on a cloudy day.
Beekeepers try to keep the populations of their hives consistent in number. If all the hives are painted the same colour and lined up in a straight row, it’s easy for the bees to enter the ‘hive next door’ by mistake when returning home with a stomach full of nectar or pollen baskets on their legs filled with pollen. The hive bees will accept the stranger and they will become part of the colony. This bee phenomenon is known as ‘drifting’.
This mistake keeps happening until, at the end hive, there’s no hive next door so it’s obvious to the bee that they are at the right place. The effect of this is that gradually the centre hives’ populations become depleted and the end hives have high numbers of bees.
When this happens the end hives will produce a large crop during the honey flow but the middle hives will not because there are not enough field bees in the colony.
There are ways the beekeeper can help the bees find their way back to the correct hive. If the hive entrances are oriented at different angles to the sun the bees know they are heading for the right hive because the sun’s angle is right (remember the ultra-violet penetrating the clouds). If rocks or other objects are placed near some of the hives the bees use them as reference points to find the right hive.
If the hives are not all painted the same then the returning bee can discern the shades of colour their hive has and is unlikely to make a mistake.
Mistint paints are popular with beekeepers. If they have many boxes to paint they can start with some Resene paint in a bucket, paint a few boxes then tip a little of another Resene mistint colour into the bucket resulting in a different shade, paint some more, then add in another colour.
As the Aoteabeeman says “It’s quite fun seeing what results. At the end I’ll finish with twenty five or so different shades, making it very easy to mix up my colours in the field.”
Supplied courtesy of the Aoteabeeman.
Photos by Nick Mouat.
From the Resene News – issue 3/2014
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FAQs
Painting your bee box can also help with temperature regulation. Light paints, such as white, can help reflect sunlight and keep the hive cooler in hot temperatures. Dark paints can help absorb the sun's warmth and keep the hive warmer in the winter.
What color should you not paint a beehive? ›
Colors with a low LRV are hotter, while shades with a higher LRV are cooler. For example, black paint with a 0 LRV level can overheat the hives, so it's best to avoid it.
Why are beehives painted different colors? ›
One thing that beekeepers can do to help prevent drift is to provide visual cues so returning bees can easily locate their own colony. Different hive colors or blocks of color help bees hone in on the right hive. Patterns painted near the entrances also provide cues.
What kind of paint can you use on bee hives? ›
The best paint for your bee boxes and woodenware is low VOC water-based exterior latex paint. VOCs — the chemicals that evaporate, or off-gas, as the paint dries — can have negative effects on bees' health. Paint cans disclose VOCs on the label, measured in grams per liter: Under 100 is ideal, but under 50 is better.
What colors should you avoid around bees? ›
Avoid Certain Colors
Bees are capable of seeing colors that fall on the green, blue, and ultraviolent end of the light spectrum. Colors like those are found on certain flowers which attract bees so avoid clothing that uses blue, violet, or purple colors to prevent bees from being attracted to you.
What color makes bees aggressive? ›
General honeybee aggression
Common sources of attack stimulus for honeybees include alarm pheromone, vibrations, carbon dioxide, hair, and dark colors (Crane 1990). This makes sense because mammals, which are common predators of bees, are usually hairy, dark colored, and exhale carbon dioxide.
What color is least attractive to bees? ›
We can, however, tell you the colors they are less likely to be drawn to. This would include lighter shades of any color but especially pale colors. These will almost make you invisible to bees.
What color flowers do bees avoid? ›
Because bees can't see the color red, red flowers appear green to them and simply blend in with the surrounding foliage. On top of that, these flowers contain very little pollen and have a citronella-like scent that the stinging insects are not fans of.
Do bees hate the color blue? ›
First, we'll look at features that attract bees.
Bees' favorite colors are blue, violet and yellow. They find those colors in sunflowers, violets, lavender, foxglove and crocuses (shown here).
What smells do bees hate? ›
Lavender oil, citronella oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, lemon and lime are all substances that bees will steer clear of.
Some people paint the top and bottom edges of hive boxes, while others feel this makes the boxes stick together in warm weather. Whether you paint the edges is up to you. The exterior is the most important part to help your hive withstand the elements.
Is it OK to paint the inside of a bee hive? ›
Paint the outside and leave the inside where the bees live unpainted. While it is not necessary to paint your hive and some people choose not to do it at all, painting a hive will help it stand up to the elements and last longer.
What not to do to a bee hive? ›
Don't: Spray chemicals or pesticides into the hive. This won't kill the bees immediately, but it will aggravate them––probably not what you were going for. Professional bee removal services will look for ways to lure bees away instead of killing them.
Is it better to paint or stain a beehive? ›
It's best to paint your equipment so that you can get more years out of your equipment without much effort. And it's easier without bees in it as well. But from the hive stand to the telescoping cover, we will explain it. Other ways to protect the finish include oil-based paint, stains, oils, and even wax dipping.
Do you paint the entrance to a beehive? ›
The rule of thumb for painting hives is to cover any surfaces that are exposed to sun and rain, and leave surfaces bare where bees walk and live. This means the interiors of boxes, entry ways and all interior components such as frames should not be painted.
Should you paint a bee hive? ›
Helping Hives Blend In
Many beekeepers do not want to draw extra attention to their hives. Whether you're concerned about nosy neighbors, curious kids or even malicious vandals, painting a hive to blend in to its environment is a good idea.
What paint colors attract bees? ›
Some paints can reflect light more brightly than others- which can draw in more insects. Bright colors like yellow, orange and blue can attract bees for their flower-imitating properties. These colors also reflect light rather than absorbing it, which could also attract flying bugs.
What colors make bees happy? ›
It's not that they don't get angry (as in “to see red”), but honeybees see the color red as black. Their Favorite Colors? Their favorites are said by some to be: purple, then violet, then blue (which all look different to them).
Do bees respond to color? ›
Behind each facet of the compound eye, bees have photoreceptors for ultraviolet, green, and blue wavelengths that are excited by sunlight reflected from the surrounding panorama. In experiments that excluded ultraviolet, bees learned to distinguish between black, gray, white, and various colors.
