Colors

[olhillbilly]

Back long time ago I hadda old bee book written by some old feller. Cant remember his name. But I do remember him discussing the colors that bees like or dislike. I have always been told that white was a neutral color an didn't bother em. In this book, the feller said that green was a calm color. I can kinda see that. Beins green is the color of vegetation. My lawn mower is green. I had some clothes that were green or shades of. And could mow or work around em with no worry. Yup, I tried it. I do know that dark colors like reds or black or such doesn't mix very well.

So what's yer opinion bout colors and why is white the recommended color to work bees?

[beenatural101]

That is a great question HB. Simple answer too, because white is not dark! Bees see most colors they have excellent vision for a bug, and visually navigate, the rest of their world is SMELL. The range they can see goes from the UV spectrum( many flowers have UV markers for the bees like "land here") They see blue (sky), green(plants), and yellow (flowers). Honeybees are from Europe, and farther back in history Africa, and most flowers there are yellow. Even red flowers will have a green center or some other cue. They do not see red, it looks black to them.To explain I would like to touch on long ago history when bees were bees and nobody much kept em 'cept for the tribals and animals robbin em. In my way of thinking any bee that wasn't too worried about big dark smelly hairy critters didn't make it for very long. Cotton or hemp are by far the best choices for summer wear in any white/tan/green/blue colors, stay away from red and yellow flowers on green and black backgrounds for sure, unless you ladies want to look like a rose bush to the compound eye of the honeybee. (If one does land on you she will figure it out and leave if u dont bug her soon enough). Stay away from leather or furs (smell) and wool is a big nono. Remember bees do not like big dark fuzzy smelly things. Don't wear perfume cause it may draw em. And guys if You are sweaty it probly doubles the chance of getting stung. If I work the bees I take an Ivory soap shower and dust down with baby powder they don't mind it like it or dislike it.
In short white is not dark HB, hope I gave the best reasons for it ;D

[olhillbilly]

Yeah, ya did a perty good job of 'splainin. I wudnt be able to smell like a powdered baby tho. Cant get near that stuff. Stops me up like an eight day clock.

I remember Dad tellin me the reason they seemed to go for yer eyes was cuz they didnt like black. And I've seen em chase a black dog on occasion. I would venture to guess that light blues would be better than just any blue. I would also bet that they notice other things that we dont pay any attention to.

Tentfire makes soap products. Meybe we could get her to stir up an anti bee soap. Yanno, sumpthin that would mask us humans or make us invisible. ;D

[beenatural101]

Yeah the eyes, dark and fast moving, compound eyes are good for pickin that up. You could'nt drag my dog into the bee yard he got out one night and was good naturedly snufflin around the hive i guess. Hes a big baby he besy buddy is a cat. He foung out sniffin bees was not a good way to make em like ya. Also they do not like exahled breath the stinkier the more offensive. Nother case in point bananas contain the alarm pheromone chemical, so its best to not eat those if you are on your way to the bee yard. The wife and kids don't do the baby powder just the ivory soap thing or some scentless soap or if it smelled like smoke might help. Def no fruity flowery sweet smells. I am stinky, so I add the powder on me to keep it down while I am out there sweating, but the bees seem to get used to yer smell after you work em a few times and dont kill a bunch. They like know you. Lighter colors are best, and a good thing to know if you do not want a swarm taking up in yer house. Sky blue or a close shade is a good color choice. Bees can see it well, but confuse it with the sky. Naturally bees build nests in hollow trees or like rock crevices in a cliff. If its dark it might be a bear and if its blue it might be the sky, so I have read and would imagine (knowin em like I do) That a blue house might blend into the sky to their eyes, and bees don't build their homes in the sky. They are smart critters but very simple in a way. They need shelter, water nectar, and pollen. And will seek it out. Make your house look like a patch of sky, scout bees won't even look at it twice, there are no nice holes leading into cavities in the sky lol!

[beenatural101]

Lotsa old timers paint their eaves, porch ceilings in sky blue so even wasps dont build there.

[buzzard]

That was interesting beenatural, I never knew/thought about bees and colors. Thanks!

HB, how bout the baby powder made from cornstarch? Does that bother you?

[beenatural101]

Buzz, when you read about bees as much as I do stuff like that falls out. Like bees don't like bananas, chemical smell for STING in bananas. Remember its a compund eye and they see amazing details. They can tell 1 hive from another in a field close together, but it helps if you put say an x on one and a o on andother on the front. numbers work, as do different colors. I Used the plastic blue steps off an old defunct toy playhouse to tech my bees where the water I wanted em to use was. It was close, but not real evident there under the sparkleberries. I put water in these steps (bright blue) and stuck ot out in the beeyard with a handful o pinestraw in it so they wouldnt drown ( bucket and a tshrt works too) it was cold, and when it got in the mid fifties i went out there and found bees drinking, and goin straight home. So i left it there till it got warm, watering em every day, they would take almost a gallon somedays, but i am sure i lost to evaporation. I started moving it. took me 2 days to get it to the spigot. moved it 40 feet a cpl times. they would fly around where it was for a min or two, then one of em would see it. looked like a freight train goin to te water. id leave it for an hr maybe, then move it again. now they all go to the spigot, generation after generation of workers. Amazing they remember so well, we are talking about a bug with less than a gram of brain. They do what they do, and I just watch and marvel at them

[beenatural101]

ended up movin it bout 100 yards