Thursday, June 30, 2016
Used Honey Extractor for Sale!
Kim Griffith has a used 3 frame manual extractor for sale. She bought it just a couple years ago from Steve Victors. She is asking $250.00. (907)385-8612
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Time to start using my smoker!
I did a hive check later in the evening tonight with my friend, Catherine. We both got stung. This is why I try to complete hive checks at mid-day on sunny days. Now that my colony populations have at least tripled, I will start using my smoker. I got stung five times tonight.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
June - The Swarming Month & Time to Remove the Entrance Reducer
I added honey supers to my hives this week!
June is considered the swarming month so I am persistent at staying on top of removing queen cells provided my original queen is still in the hive and I see eggs, larva, and pupa. I have been on many hive consultations and found this to be true again this year. One person had a swarm and actually caught 6-8 queens and caged them. We killed all but one to release the next day so she could do her mating flights. Hopefully she was bred well and is now laying hundreds of eggs everyday.
I have removed my entrance reducers and won't use them again until fall. Thankfully, we were blessed with rain before the fireweed started to bloom. Last year we had beautiful fireweed flowers however they didn't have enough rain early in the season so didn't produce an abundance of nectar beyond the food they needed for themselves. This year promises to be a bumper crop of honey at this rate.
As a reminder: If you took my class this year you have a $20 discount on a hive consultation. The price for the first consultation for those who took my class is $40.00. The price for subsequent consultations is $60.00 Please email me if you need to make an appointment. I am out of spare queens now so if anyone has an extra queen please let me know as I do get calls from time to time with requests for a new queen. It is getting a bit late in the year for ordering new queens. If you need a new queen:
June is considered the swarming month so I am persistent at staying on top of removing queen cells provided my original queen is still in the hive and I see eggs, larva, and pupa. I have been on many hive consultations and found this to be true again this year. One person had a swarm and actually caught 6-8 queens and caged them. We killed all but one to release the next day so she could do her mating flights. Hopefully she was bred well and is now laying hundreds of eggs everyday.
I have removed my entrance reducers and won't use them again until fall. Thankfully, we were blessed with rain before the fireweed started to bloom. Last year we had beautiful fireweed flowers however they didn't have enough rain early in the season so didn't produce an abundance of nectar beyond the food they needed for themselves. This year promises to be a bumper crop of honey at this rate.
As a reminder: If you took my class this year you have a $20 discount on a hive consultation. The price for the first consultation for those who took my class is $40.00. The price for subsequent consultations is $60.00 Please email me if you need to make an appointment. I am out of spare queens now so if anyone has an extra queen please let me know as I do get calls from time to time with requests for a new queen. It is getting a bit late in the year for ordering new queens. If you need a new queen:
- Email me: sciencebasedart@yahoo.com to see if I know of an extra local queen
- Contact Steve Victors https://www.alaskawildflowerhoney.com/contact-us
- Contact Kohnen http://www.koehnen.com/
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Another Organic Remedy for Ants in Your Honeybee's Pants
I just heard that cinnamon is a deterrent to ants. Just get a container from Sam's Club and sprinkle it on the ground, around the base of the hive. I wouldn't get any on the entrance to the hive. This rain is great for helping flowers produce excess nectar! Perfect timing for raspberries and fireweed!!
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