Painting inside of poly hives?

[BeeJayBee]

Some vendors suggest painting the inside of polystyrene hives, to stop the bees nibbling the polystyrene and to aid cleaning, others say it isn't necessary.

What do you do?

 

[JohnF]

I don't paint inside and the only bit they have nibbled is the top of the feeder near the perspex cover.

 

[oliver90owner]

If they suggest that, buy from somewhere else. Simple.

Some names of vendors who have suggested doing that?

 

[itma]

Some vendors suggest painting the inside of poly hives, to stop the bees nibbling the polystyrene, others say it isn't necessary.

I've seen advice to gloss paint the inside of poly feeders (eg from Modern B) - that's for ease of thorough cleaning. (And adding sand for extra grip on the painted bee-feeding-slope.)
While they also suggest painting "all surfaces" of floor and roof this isn't to prevent bee-chewing. And they say painting the inside of BB & Supers isn't needed.

ADDED - but they do say painting the outside is 'essential' - again nothing to do with bee-damage.

Before being taken into use it is essential the hive components are painted. This prevents the growth of algae on the outside of the hive, deterioration by UV and in the case of the feeder is required for sealing and ease of cleaning.

http://www.****************.co.uk/p/faqs#Do I need to Paint My Hive


Whereas Paynes (for example) believe that their UV stabilisation should be good for 15 years, removing one of the reasons for needing to paint.
But its nothing to do with bees chewing the plastic.

 

[BeeJayBee]

This is what I've read:-

We recommend the floor and roof are fully painted on all surfaces but the brood chamber and supers need only be painted on the outside although painting the inside helps cleaning and sterilisation.

Maybe I've misunderstood, it's easily done when you're learning.

There's a difference between a suggestion and a recommendation, and it's up to me to decide which to do, but that's why I asked.

I wonder how much easier it is to clean and sterilize the inside if it's been painted, or if an uneven coat of paint can make things worse.

Edit - I managed to write my reply at the same time as itma's post.

I know I've read about paint stopping chewing/nibbling somewhere, but I can't find it just now.

 

[RoofTops]

Poly hives are a bit easier to clean in my experience if you paint the inside but the big problem is where the boxes touch - if you have painted all surfaces they have a great tendancy to stick together, even if you leave the paint to dry fully.

The vast majority of poly hives in use do not have the inside of brood or supers painted - or the top and bottom edges, and this system works fine, so unless you have a surplus of paint and want to spend time coating the mating surfaces with vaseline I would stick to this tried and tested system.

The Paynes idea seems to be that as they come pre-coloured they don't need protection from UV. This may be true but they still need protection from slugs eating away at algae and the subtle damage done by frost - the surface of poly is slightly porous (which is why feeders must be painted internally) and in winter the water in the surface cracks can freeze and over time this will damage the surface.

I have shown the picture below before. They are poly boxes belonging to a bee farmer with a few thousand colonies. He wouldn't paint them if they didn't need to be painted but none of them are painted internally and the oldest in the picture are over 20 years old.

 

[Poly Hive]

Further if you paint the insides and then clean with washing soda, the paint is away.

I have not heard of anyone recommending painting the inside apart from the feeders.

PH

 

[itma]

... The Paynes idea seems to be that as they come pre-coloured they don't need protection from UV. ...

Other way round, I think.
The plastic has a UV stabiliser added, and that means they aren't white.

There are plenty of un-stabilised yet coloured plastics.



Anyway, I'm happy to agree that there are plenty other good reasons for painting plastic hives! And painting should add to the uv protection, even if the plastic is stabilised.

 

[oliver90owner]

I know I've read about paint stopping chewing/nibbling somewhere, but I can't find it just now.

'Some' vendors reduced to one at the most?

Some vendors have had their products chewed away by the bees, in the past.

I do as the rest say, re the outside, but that seems outside the remit of the opening thread.

Suggest you get back here, if and when you find your 'evidence', or withdraw the claim re nibbling. Keeping feeders clean is also a different issue, as that is not generally included as 'inside the hive'.

Thread about closed at this point in time, I would think, unless it strays further off topic.

RAB

 

[Storm™]

I know I've read about paint stopping chewing/nibbling somewhere, but I can't find it just now.

Suggest you get back here, if and when you find your 'evidence', or withdraw the claim re nibbling. Keeping feeders clean is also a different issue, as that is not generally included as 'inside the hive'.


RAB

slightly harsh

anyhow - maybe here perhaps and do not look at the Colonel Mustard mugshot... http://tinyurl.com/cgquchf

 

[tonybloke]

Other way round, I think.
The plastic has a UV stabiliser added, and that means they aren't white.

There are plenty of un-stabilised yet coloured plastics.

yep, and plenty of UV Stabilised white plastics as well ( guttering, fascia coverings, cladding, windows, etc etc etc)

 

[Black Comb]

Hello Beejoyful
A sensible question.

I see you are new to the forum so be aware that Polyhive and Rooftops both have extensive experience of polyhives.
Rab, as far as I know, runs wooden hives and some poly nucs.

Your decision as to who you listen to.

 

[oliver90owner]

slightly harsh

Only 'slightly'. Starting with a statement as in post #1 and back-pedalling does not make a particularly satisfactory thread.

Only recently we had PH criticising posts and accusing the poster of being a troll. I am not doing that, but threads do require some semblance of reality about them.

Perhaps I should have enquired if anyone else had ever had this suggestion/recmmendation/?, to paint the inside 'to prevent nibbling and chewing by the bees', made to them. In my view, if the vendor did that they had just 'shot themselves in the foot'.

Would you want a hive where only a coat of paint stands between your pristine hive and a chewed away mess of polystyrene?

RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

Thanks for that comment.

There is no need that I am aware of to paint the inside of poly units apart from feeders to avoid mould.

However my 20+ year experience is with quality makes, I cannot comment on the others.

PH

 

[Storm™]

I was only thinking today I would never spend so much money on a TV transport package stabiliser RAB. And have to take measures to then protect it from disintegrating. But thats just me and I know the pro's and cons.

I guess they are like a smart car in a way. They do the job, no one would steal one and maintain their street cred, and they look sh*t. So in that respect I suppose they are great.

But then I would have such a shallow pool of knowledge to draw on for help ... apparently? So ill stick with me nostalgic lump and enjoy it instead of keeping B&Q in business.

 

[Finman]

.
There is zero reason to paint iside = #1

- paint is expencive = wasting #2
- when you clean, use 3% lye or something alcalic kitchen cleaning stuff
- it loosens paint = wasting #3
- not good o bees when they biten loose paint = wasting #4

Four good reasons to waste ....

 

[oliver90owner]

Your decision as to who you listen to.

Funny that. Def shouldn't be listening to you, then! 'Cos wrong again, of course. I have timber and poly hives - oh, and a beehaus. I have run WBCs, National deeps and now have all extra deep frames in all brood boxes whether poly or timber, whether Dartington or National.

Timber and poly nucs. And I was careful where I sourced my original polynucs - from one supplier I considered, they would likely have needed that 'extra paint protection' and it may well have still been chewed away. Played very safe and went to MB.

So you paint your's on the inside, I presume?

 

[Hombre]

And I run plywood 14x12 hives almost exclusively (1 Nat), so I obviously don't know anything about poly boxes either . . . ?

 

[Oandy]

Welcome Bejoyful maybe the problem is that as a new beekeeper's we are trying to learn to fast. We then read and gather load's of info which gets jumbled together. Which bring's us round to some confusion. It is possible that we read about painting poly hive's and miss the part where it say's paint the feeder inside . Then believe that means all the hive should be painted inside. As new beekeepers we should ask so as to try and minimise our mistakes i see no harm in asking if it is going to help the bees and the beekeeper. Most on here are helpful some on here are helpful even when a little short; take advise ignore the rest. But remember the old saying, 2 beekeeprs will give advise and you will get 3 answer's. Regard's Andy.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I guess they are like a smart car in a way. They do the job, no one would steal one and maintain their street cred, and they look sh*t.

Hush, you'll upset the good doctor