I agree with you on the whole taking more to repair then to replace, I paint mine because they are placed on a highway and I dont want my yard looking more like a junkyard at least painting them white, people know what they are, and second in the summers it gets, 110+ degrees and im sure the light color helps a little although im sure the bees could handle their own anyways, they do in nature, although I,m sure when they are in a tree im sure the wood is thicker then 3/4 of an inch.
-Ron