Instructions for my new Flow Hive 2 recommend painting with non/low toxic exterior paint. I’m in South East Qld and having challenges sourcing external low toxic paint (there are low toxic internal paint options!) Any suggestions from anyone?
Hi Deb, welcome to the forum. I generally paint my boxes inside and out with good quality external house paint. You might get a longer life out of your boxes if you prime with an oil base paint, like a pink primer, especially in the joints before you screw them together.
For a base coat/s I use British Paints 4in1 Prep, for the top coat/s I use Taubmans Sun Proof white.
Thanks Jeff. Are the paints you suggested low toxic, as recommended by the flow hive folk? regards deb
Hi Deb, I have no idea. I’ve been using these paints on my bee boxes for many years with no effects on my bees. People say a lot of things about what to paint & what not to paint. I put several coats inside and out with the view of getting a long life out of my boxes. What really works for me is first treating the wood with copper naphthenate. Then letting it dry completely before painting.
Thanks so much Jeff for getting back to me. As an aside, are you still selling bee colonies? I live on Macleay Island. We lost all our bees (as did most of the Island beekeepers) to Verroa Mite earlier this year - devastating. Looking to re-establish again in Spring. regards deb
You’re welcome Deb. Yes we are still selling nucs. We are getting a lot of calls from people who have lost colonies to varroa this year. We did a lot of research beforehand, so consequently the strategies we put in place, combined with our hive beetle strategies has saved us from losing any colonies.
We share our strategies with anyone who will listen. There is a great video from the UK. My strategy is fashioned on a lot of info contained in it, as well as a couple of other related videos. The main one is by “Steve Riley, Transitioning away from miticides”. Equally as good is a video by Stephen Martin.
I’m not treatment free (however chemical free) as suggested in the videos. I’m seeing a lot of hygienic behavior with all of my bees, so therefore I should be able to eventually go treatment free after the initial mite buildup subsides.
PS we recently sold 10 nucs to a bloke who owns a local beekeeping shop. He said he lost 7 of his hives to varroa, while at the same time tried to sell me some of his varroa treatments.
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Wow that is amazing Jeff. Will definitely look at the videos. My email is debbie@ecue.com.au if you are ok to send me your business details. many thanks deb
I can PM you here Deb, cheers…