Nature's Nectar LLC Package Bees

 2020 California Package Bees

http://www.natures-nectarllc.com/packagebees.html

   

Happy Holidays

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

Bee Classes around the metro area

Bee Classes available from around the area.

The Univ of MN Bee Class Keeping Bees In Northern Climates
https://www.beelab.umn.edu/bee-squad/education/beekeeping-classes

JoAnne Sabin teaches many beekeeping classes in many locations around the metro area.
 JoAnnes class link:
https://mnbeekeepers.com/upcomingclasses/
If you are interested in any bee class, sign up for it right away because the do fill up quickly.

Gifts for beekeepers

Here is a thought for last minute gifts for a beekeeper. Or stop at your local bee store to purchase a gift certificate.
A honey bottling pail. Around $27.00. Or just the buy the yellow gate valve for around $12.00, you need to drill a 1-7/8" hole in the pail.
Have a hard time opening pail lids? This heavy duty aluminum tool, make removing lids and easy task. Around $20.00.
 Cotton Smoker Fuel around $5.00
Kwik Start Smoker Pellets 100 ct around $12.00
Pro Grade Beekeeper Gloves around $28.00

Five Frame Nuc Hive - around $49.00. If you don't have one of these, I strongly encourage adding one of these to you outfit.
Frame Cleaner, around $6.95. This easily cleans out the groove on used frames when replacing foundation. They work great.
Mouseguard, keeps mice out of the hive during winter. Around $6.00.
Frame spacing tool. around $12.00. Keeps frames evenly spaced.
 Life Cycle Chart, around $13.00. This poster is a great reference for figuring out timing for different times in the lives of the bees and their work duties.
 Bee Jacket, around $60.00. Keep bees in comfort during hot weather.
Labels 250 ct, various sizes, around $16.00 - $21.00. Get the labels custom imprinted for another $11.00.
Extractor, 3 frame. Around $450.00. The motorized version is around $780.00.
Honey Refractometer, around $80.00. Tests your honey to make sure it is U.S.Grade A.
Uncapping Tank, around $150.00. Uncap honey frames into this tub.

A Varied Thrush - a west coast visitor

I had a bird at the feeder yesterday. I had never seen this before. I had to do a shout out to my friend Gary, who is quite the bird identifier. Turns out, this is a Varied Thrush. They are a west coast bird. How it got to this side of the Rockies is beyond me.
Read all about it.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Varied_Thrush/overview#

Beekeeping Workshop Dunn County Beekeepers

 The Dunn County Beekeepers do a good job helping new hobbyists. Their workshops provide good information.
www.dunncountybeekeepers.org

One way to cool down creamed honey

Creamed honey after it is made, needs to set up. It usually takes 10 days to two weeks to set up. Keeping the creamed honey in cool temperatures. around 57 degrees works best.
 I have the creamed honey in my honey house, under a big window.

I take an insulated panel and lean it over the creamed honey and against the window

The insulated panel covers most of the creamed honey.

The physics is this. The room is around 64 degrees. The cold of the glass will create convection currents of air flow. The cold air is heavier than warm air. The cold air will fall over the creamed honey and spill out on the sides. This should keep the creamed honey cooler than the room and aid in a rapid set. I can monitor the set by squeezing a couple soft plastic containers I bottled. The firmness of the plastic containers will tell me when the creamed honey is properly set.