When I was in commercial beekeeping, each year brought with it the chores of building new hive bodies and honey supers.

I watched as each new box was dipped in a copper solution mixed with paint thinner. After the boxes were drip-dry, each one had to be painted with an outdoor latex-based paint on the exterior.

The copper preserved the wood and kept termites at bay while the latex paint protected the exterior from weathering too quickly. The whole time I was doing this, I was thinking to myself, ‘If honey bees are already having issues with toxins then why are we coating and slathering their homes with even more of them?’ It didn’t make any sense.

The links on this website may contain affiliate links. This means that I may receive a commission if you decide to make any purchases using my affiliate links. Read Disclaimer.

---

But as with all things, there is ALWAYS a more excellent way of doing stuff; including protecting beekeeping wooden ware from the elements without harming the bees inside of it.

To tell the truth, I don’t know for a fact that treating hive bodies with copper/mineral spirits is harmful in the long run. But I do know that the mix is harmful when fresh, before it dries. Does that mean it’s NOT harmful to my little bees after the fact? I don’t know. But why take the chance?

I’m tired of honey bee research looking for ‘solutions’ by testing what almost-kills-the-bees-but-not-quite. That’s not thriving in my opinion. But essentially, this is the same idea behind chemical mite strips for treating Varroa mite. I’m not going to treat with the stuff that might hurt my bees but ‘only a little.’

So guess what? If there’s an alternative then I’m going to try it. And I have. I found a paint in my online research, one that is NOT based on copper or latex but rather milk. Yup! I found a company that sells pigmented milk powder and uses pure Tung oil to protect outdoor equipment. It’s called The Real Milk Paint Company. They have been around since 1995.

Compared to a gallon of regualar paint that I might get from the hardware store, milk paint is more cost efficient, however there is more work involved. You see, what comes in the box is a bag of pigmented milk powder, pure Tung oil, an outdoor additive, and and anti-foaming agent. These are all separate products for which The Real Milk Paint Company provides mixing instructions for, as well as video instructions on their website. Buy you mix according to need. I usually mix about a quart at a time. The outdoor additive is finely ground Borax; a natural substance. I use it in my laundry. Learn more about it here.

They have over 56 colors available that are made in the USA. I have used two of the colors they offer: Warm Ash, a medium brown color that I painted my hive covers with and Sunflower, a warm yellow that I paint all of my hive bodies with. Next time I place an order, I’m getting Plum, it’s looks so cool!

There’s pros and cons with everything in life. The milk paint is no exception but for me, my bees are worth going the extra mile for. I have tried so many different ideas for equipment that didn’t work, and wasted money and time that I will never get back. But I have also put a lot of money and hard work into making every single deep hive body, bottom board, comb honey super, quilting box and hive cover that I own. I’m sure many of you would agree that it is important to make that stuff last as long as possible. That’s why I use the milk paint with the pure tung oil. The tung oil and the outdoor additive help to protect my boxes.

One of the pros about using a milk-based paint is that I don’t have to worry if it’s harmful or toxic to my bees because I know that it’s not. Milk paint is safe not only for my bees but also for the environment. I have no idea what all the ingredients are for regular toxic paints but I know that they contain heavy metals which are toxic. And if we’re instructed to avoid contact with our skin and to use a respirator, shouldn’t that tell us something?

I would like to encourage you to try using milk paint on your beehives or anything else that you have in mind. The Real Milk Paint Company has an aresenal of products that I haven’t even mentioned here today. It’s a comforting thought that if you’re painting a nursery for the new baby that the paint you’re bringing into your home is not going to harm anyone in any way.

I would really enjoy hearing from you in the comments below. Perhaps you already knew about milk paint and would like to add something. Or maybe you want to share what projects you have that milk paint would be perfect for. Learn more about milk paint and how it works online at www.RealMilkPaint.com

I am always happy that you join me here today and are willing to learn something new. Until next time remember,

~Weeds are Wildflowers, let them Bee.~

Jonathan Hargus/Beekeeper Extraordinaire