On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 04:17:29 -0500, Adam <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

"Standard advice .....seems to be avoiding painting them. The argument
being that it stops the wood "breathing" and in turn, causes condensation,
mould and other problems inside the hive."..."With the use of open mesh
floors all year round - the hive now has significant "ventilation" all
year round, and this being the case, I can't believe the percentage of
water moisture passing through the hive walls is anything more than a
percent or two. This being the case - is their any reason not to paint
single walled hives?"

In my opinion one should not paint the inside of the hive at anytime. Such
efforts are not warranted, needed nor are they healthy to the bees in the
hive; furthermore, it is my opinion that the use of open mesh floors has
less to do with ventilation than what you may believe.  Think about a hot
air balloon and how it works; use the burning of a mixture of air, and
either propane or hydrogen mixture as the heat source for the balloon,
then substitute the cluster for the heat source of the balloon. Warm moist
air rises from the cluster and gives birth to convection currents inside
the hive. Because warm air rises hive ventilation is controlled by the
amount and method of top ventilation, with no top ventilation or any other
ventilation except the standard reduced entrance  in winter months you
have basically no replacement of air, "dead air". IMO given no top
ventilation very little exchange of air is accomplished even with an open
bottom screen alone, except during windy days when turbulence causes
movement and displacement of the air in the hive; however that should be
confined to the lower few inches of the bottom of the hive. Airplane wings
in flight have a layer of air next to the skin of the wing that stays with
the wing!  The laws of physics do not change! In cooler or cold months
while bees are in cluster normal respiration creates convection currents
that either egress through the top part of the hive conveyed by top hive
ventilation or as expanded warm moist air through the bottom screen, the
latter being reduced to quite a trickle of air due to the need for air to
be replenished during the displacement caused by the convection set into
motion by the warmer moist air created by the cluster. When warm moist air
contacts a cooler surface condensation will occur so long as the dew point
of the vapor is reached when contacting the surface and additional water
vapor that does not have the opportunity to condense for whatever reason
exits the top of the hive (through top hive ventilation) or is recycled by
internal convection. Cooler dryer air from within the hive and outside the
hive will replace the warm moist air that has been vented by normal means
of circulation caused by convection and displacement of the relatively
warmer air by cooler and dryer air.

In warmer months when the bees are no longer in cluster control of airflow
in the hive is managed by the bees within the hive and  through top hive
ventilation if the bees in the hive will allow it.



Chuck Norton
Norton's Nut & Honey Farm
Reidsville, NC

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::