Christmas Bird count

Goldfinch on perch / Pine Siskens on tray

Wendy and I participated in the annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. It is a national event that is done in the last two weeks of December. The local chapter here usually does their count on the last Saturday in December.
 We just watch our bird feeders all day looking for species of birds and the most of a species at the feeders at any one time. This can give bird researchers a tool to look at trends in bird populations over time.
Our count:
12 - Cardinals
9 - Purple Finches
15 - Goldfinches
4 - Mourning Doves
5 - Black Capped Chickadees
14 - Pine Siskens
4 - Downy Woodpeckers
2 - Hairy Woodpeckers
2 - Red Bellied Woodpeckers
2 - Pileated Wood Peckers
2 - White Breasted Nuthatch
2 - Red Breasted Nuthatch
2 - Blue Jays
2 - Slate Colored Juncos

Hairy Woodpecker (male)

White Breasted and Red Breasted Nuthatch

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Mrs and Mr Cardinal

2019 Package bee update

We will start taking orders for package bees in late January. We will be getting two deliveries of bees, early April and mid April.
 We will no longer be selling 2 lb packages.
 Both deliveries will be 3 lb packages.
 I have been informed that there will be a price increase.
 Queen types in the package will be your choice of Carniolan, Italian and Saskatraz queen. The Saskatraz will cost $2.00 more, same as last year.
There are rumors going around about Nature's Nectar LLC.
 Lets put them to rest right now.
Wendy and Jim are still in the bee business and owners of Nature's Nectar LLC. If you have any questions about package bees or bee equipment please feel free to call us. We have done this business for twenty years and have continually put out some of the best bees in this part of the country. Nature's Nectar LLC is the only trusted source of Olivarez Honey Bees and Saskatraz queens in Minnesota.

Sub zero weather coming

The weatherman says sub zero weather maybe coming next weekend. Now is the time to make sure your hives are covered with a winter wrap and moisture board to prepare for the frigid onslaught.

2019 package bees Package Bees Update

Package bees being prepared for pick up

I should be getting my 2019 package bee prices out by mid January.
Talked to Olivarez Honey bees last week. They were near the big fire near Chico, California. Olivaerez Honey Bees run 16,000 colonies of bees. He had moved 12,000 colonies to Montana for honey production last summer. They had 4,000 colonies in the foot hills near Chico. They were not in the path of the fire. It was so smokey that the skies were very hazy. There was a pall of smoke in the air. The bees did not go out and forage because they could not get their bearing in relation with the sun. So they looked at the days as twilight. The bees were in fine condition, but they could not forage during these smokey days. So the bees had to be fed more than usual to bolster them for their winter. Ray told me his bees were in great shape and he was looking forward to another year of package bees and queens.
 Olivarez honey bees is probably one of the biggest package bee supplier in the country. He does have authorized distributors around the country.  They put out a quality product that is sought out by beekeepers who value his high quality queens.
Nature's Nectar LLC is the authorized Olivarez Honey Bees distributor in Minnesota. We are the only sellers of Saskatraz bees and queens in Minnesota.

Drone research with bumble bees

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/13/researchers-turning-bumblebees-into-live-drones-calling-it-living-iot.html?&qsearchterm=drone

End of Season Deep and Medium Box Sale

  Assembled Deep Painted Boxes with 10 assembled frames with Yellow RiteCell foundation $45.00 each. Regular price $55.00. Save $10.00
  Assembled Medium Painted Boxes with 10 assembled frames with Yellow RiteCell foundation $43.00 each. Regular price $53.00 Save $10.00

bears are still active

This bear was seen near some beehives in the City of Grant. The beekeeper still had his fence charged so the bear did not have a feast. This happened on Dec 3rd.