A Note From Olivarez Honey Bees

 "Olivarez Honey Bees has been working with the “Bee Informed” Tech Transfer Team that was envisioned by Dr. Marla Spivak and formed nearly five years ago in the Heart of Northern California as a tool to help queen producers select and maintain the best bee stock available today. From the information collected by the Tech Transfer, OHB has been able to continually improve in areas of Hygienic Behavior, brood rearing production and honey production. OHB has also been able to monitor its Nosema, mite and virus levels accurately and knowledgably. Nosema levels at OHB have been consistently low over the last couple of years which could be attributed to the essential oils they use or just as simple as downward trend naturally. By monitoring Nosema levels monthly through the Tech Transfer Teams service OHB has probably saved over $30,000 the last couple of years with unnecessary treatments. OHB still treats their cell builders and nucs they raise their queens in."
Ray Olivarez
 A note from Jim and Wendy
Olivarez Honey Bees have been our bee and queen supplier for nine years. They have done a great job delivering a quality product.   

A Winter Peek

Took a peek at a hive I wintered. Good thing I did. I knew this hive was light on stores. They have eaten most of the food in the top box on that side of the deep. There is some full frames of honey on the other side of the top deep. This is a good example of a hive consuming honey and now don't have any full frames next to them. Tomorrow I will go out and reposition some full frames of honey right next to the cluster. This should help them survive a cold blast that looks like it is a week away according to the weatherman. If I don't do this this colony will starve in the very near future because they will not be able to reach the full frames of honey in their present position.
 A quick peek and look at the tops of the comb. In this picture it is obvious that the top of the frames look empty. This should be a clue that the whole frame is more than likely empty of food. Putting on a beesuit and lighting a smoker the quick peek and move a couple frames of honey right next to the cluster takes about one minute. 

The two frames next to the cluster look empty.
Photo by Wendy Kloek

Building a Bee Hive

Ed Simon from Oronoco, MN has made a series of woodworking videos. The videos explain how to build a bee hive. Ed has talked at the MN Hobby Bekeeper meeting on this very subject. All his videos are on youtube here is a link to his channel.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFMWE6wiSWYIYwEnnh5Ib-Q?feature=watch

2013 package bee prices

I have published my 2013 package bee prices on my website.
 http://www.natures-nectarllc.com/reservation.html
The Italians and MN - Hyg breeds have merged and will be called Hygienic Italian. The MN - Hygienic queen has always been an Italian.
 I will be offering Hygienic Italian and Hygienic Carniolans.
All the bees have hygienic behavior and have the VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygiene) bred into them.
I will be sending out information in the next two weeks.
Working on an online form and an online payment system.

Our winter so far

 So far this winter has been perfect for a Minnesota winter. There have been a few days that have been cold but nothing out of the ordinary. The plus that I have noticed that so far we have not experienced any sub zero windy days. It is this type of weather that kills colonies. The wind cools the hive down and is unrelenting until it finally moves out ot the area. Straight cold weather is not difficult for the bees to survive.
 This week the weather is moving into the thirties for a January thaw. The bees will be flying and taking cleansing flight taking advantage of the warmth. The warmer temperatures will help bees reposition in the hive. Hopefully the bees will get on some full frames of honey to prepare for colder weather that always seems to hit around the third week of January.
 This is a youtube link slide show from Jerry Linser that is appropriate this time of year.
http://youtu.be/Slk9I2PbW-E

New Bee Club

There is a new bee club starting up in Stillwater. As you know the city of Stillwater changed their ordinance to allow keeping bees in the city. Now the new beekeepers are starting a new club for peer group information.
 The bee clubs first meeting is Monday Jan 28th @ 7 pm.  Address 1875 Northwestern Ave. Stillwater, MN at Family Means.

Bottler Video

I have made several posts about honey melters or bucket heaters that will liquify granulated honey. This new video is about a stainless steel honey bottler. Bottlers work great for liquifying honey. It makes bottling honey fast and clean with no dripping from a honey gate.
 Stainless Steel bottlers are spendy starting at around $1200.00, but they do hold thier value very well. Used bottlers are hard to find. It is one item that beekeepers really hold on to.
 I did buy a used bottler nineteen years ago for $500.00. That same bottler that I still use today I could get $900.00 for it if I wanted to sell it. The only thing that wears out on them is the immersion heater or o - rings on the no drip bottling valve. I did purchase one immersion heater for my bottler since I have owned it. I have changed the o - rings once.
Double Click on the video for full screen. Press esc to downsize.