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Beekeeping in Northern Climates <br />Painting Equipment <br />The exterior of the hive boxes should be smooth before they are painted. All exposed parts of the hive should <br />be covered with a coat of exterior primer, followed by one or two coats of good quality exterior latex paint. <br />Painting the outsides of your hive boxes protects them from rotting and warping, prolonging their usability by <br />PDQ\\HDUV8VHDJRRGTXDOLW\EUXVKRUUROOHUWRPDNHSDLQWLQJHDVLHU7KHUHLVQRUHDVRQWKHH[WHULRUFDQQRW <br />EHGHFRUDWHGLQDQ\ZD\\RXZDQW,IWKHFRORQ\ZLOOEHLQWKHVXQDYRLGGDUNFRORUV2LOEDVHGSDLQWFDQEH <br />used to decorate the outside of the boxes, but too much prevents the box from breathing and the oil paint may peel. <br /><RXPD\XVHRWKHUSDLQWVVWDLQVRUZRRGSUHVHUYDWLYHVDVORQJDV\RXPDNHVXUHWKH\GRQRWFRQWDLQDQ\ <br />ingredients that will be harmful to the bees. Do not paint the inside of the boxes. <br />Components of a Hive <br />6HHDQH[DPSOHRIDKLYHZLWKDIXOOVHWRIHTXLSPHQWLQ)LJXUH <br />Propolis <br />7KHLQVLGHRIKLYHERGLHVKDVWUDGLWLRQDOO\EHHQVPRRWK+RZHYHULIWKHLQVLGHV <br />RIWKHER[HVDUHPDGHIURPXQ¿QLVKHGYHU\URXJKOXPEHUWKHEHHVZLOOGHSRVLW <br />propolis, or tree resins, inside the boxes as a propolis envelope, as they do <br />naturally within tree cavities. The resins are antimicrobial, and research at the <br />8QLYHUVLW\RI0LQQHVRWD%HH/DEVKRZVWKDWDSURSROLVHQYHORSHEHQH¿WVKRQH\EHH <br />immune systems, microbiomes, disease prevention, and overall colony health.Biology <br />Box <br />)LJXUH7\SLFDO <br />Langstroth hive.