# Crazy question about marking multiple hives with different colors.



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

The idea is that bees are capable of recognizing different color patterns, and presumably could use that pattern recognition to return to "their" hive.

And, for more on bees' pattern recognition capabilities ....
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845063/


And how about bees being able to _count_? 


> Number-Based Visual Generalisation in the Honeybee
> 
> 
> Using a y-maze, we found that bees can not only differentiate between patterns containing two and three elements, but can also use this prior knowledge to differentiate three from four, without any additional training.
> ...


opcorn:


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## Tanglewood (Apr 13, 2016)

Rader, I didn't know if the guy was leading us down a snipe trail when talking about marking his hives. Thanks for the reference information and a good read.


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## BrianR (Jun 26, 2014)

And before you go off painting bee boxes:

Bees see a different range of light wavelengths that we do; they are shifted into the UV spectrum. There are some colors that are quite different for us that are similar for bees. Blue is similar to indigo is similar to violet. If you really want to differentiate for your bees (although arguably unnecessary), use the googles to research the colors that bees 'see'.

You might find that the priorities for painting are:

1) to preserve the woodenware
2) to aid in hive temperature control in hot/cold climates (light colors reflect energy, dark colors absorb it)
3) because it is aesthetically pleasing to _you_
4) because it's helpful to bee navigation

Much of the time you can satisfy all four.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

I paint my hives different colors. Some have a piece of metal flashing in front with a pattern on it. After a hard day at work the girls may need a little help, if the hives are all white a virgin queen may go to the wrong hive....SO yes patterns are good...JMO But they are Southern girls.......


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## Tanglewood (Apr 13, 2016)

Thanks for the responses Bees of SC and BrianR. 

I currently have 3 hives out on my property. I built and painted them all white. Currently I've baited in 2 swarms. Both colonies are doing well. Maybe as a little help I should add a little color to the front. Not sure if that will affect them in any way (paint smell?) since they are pretty established now. Definitely don't want to do anything to make them leave.


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

My 2 colonies are both entirely white and sit within a couple of feet of one another. The girls have no trouble finding their way home. On a nice warm day, you will see swarms of bees flying around seemingly at random. This is the young bees orienting themselves to their colony. They not only go by color, but by the surroundings, location, and odor.
One reason I decided to go monocolor was for doing swarm splits. No use confusing the issue with color.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

Painting hives all white is ok, that is what color they had 100 years ago, still good but boring. You have heard about drifting bees, queens that go in the wrong hive after mating. i'm not sure if my girls go back to the ring hive or not, they all look alike but a little color don't heart. On some of my hives I will staple a flat drink can, with color to a hive, not confusing to me.. but it is just what I do some time.....It's all good.......


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## Tanglewood (Apr 13, 2016)

I like the idea of adding color without painting. My wife has a bunch of those small colored plastic plates. I think I'll use 3 different colors of those and staple in place.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

:thumbsup:


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

Bees of SC said:


> Painting hives all white is ok, that is what color they had 100 years ago, still good but boring. You have heard about drifting bees, queens that go in the wrong hive after mating. i'm not sure if my girls go back to the ring hive or not, they all look alike but a little color don't heart. On some of my hives I will staple a flat drink can, with color to a hive, not confusing to me.. but it is just what I do some time.....It's all good.......


White is easy for me because I can grab a can of cheap Walmart white and there's never anyone at the paint counter to tint it.
My one regret with white is that in our climate the hives stay cool until mid morning and the bees don't get going until it's warm enough to break the cluster, and they are slowing down as the afternoon shade hits. I've felt a hive that's been in direct sun for a few hours, and it's still cool to the touch. Kind of the opposite of your neighborhood where you could probably fry an egg on the lid. I'm pretty sure I'm going to turn them all dark at some point.


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

BrianR said:


> And before you go off painting bee boxes:


Good take thank you.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

I get a lot of my paint from Lowes or Homedepot, the good stuff that has been tinted wrong and returned, GOOD paint at a cheap price is all ways better than just cheep paint.....the girls don't care how much you paid......JMO I have to go to work and paint a hive now, Have a great day, it is now 64 degrees here..


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

In our queen castles, 4 entrances per 10 frame deep. We not only painted the entrances different colors. We painted those colors in different shapes. Can't say if it really made a difference but I did get to see a virgin queen leave and return from a mating flight. WE had 25 castles setting side by side on a shelf.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

It helps...I think,


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

Walmart Canada is getting out of custom tints and going with all pre-tints, and they will have some dark colours starting next week. The stuff is still made by CIL and hopefully they will keep the price around $16/gal. I have had no trouble with the quality so far. I'm 60 miles from the nearest Home Depot and about 800 from a Lowes, so this is the cheapest and easiest for me.


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## gnor (Jun 3, 2015)

Tanglewood said:


> Maybe as a little help I should add a little color to the front. Not sure if that will affect them in any way (paint smell?) since they are pretty established now. Definitely don't want to do anything to make them leave.


I think if you used paint, the bees would get stuck in it for sure. You could get some stickers from the craft department at Walmart. Some are vinyl & weatherproof. Coloured duct tape would work.


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