Bee Wear

I had a long phone conversation with Bill Allen in Seattle. He produces clothing with bee images, which you can see at www.beewear.us. He will do custom design and production too. I'll attempt to post an image of his images so you can see them right here. Meanwhile you can click on his website.

FYI Methow Valley Beekeepers: I received an email request this morning asking me to post the website of these northwest queen breeders : http://www.wildernessbees.com.

 

MV Beekeepers Community

Opportunity to order Nucs for the 2014 season. 

 

5 Frame Nucs

With the popularity of Gib’s nucs on the rise, he has given the Methow Valley the priority in receiving Nucs – last year he sold out and this year he is already getting lots of positive attention.  If we get to 100, Nucs Gib will deliver to the MV in mid-April – included in the cost below!  (The Sabold’s is his only delivery spot)

 

Here is the scoop:

1.      5 frame Deep Nucs with Cross Queen in Cage…………… $116.60

2.      Cross Queen in Cage………………………………………….$27 (Carniolian or Carniolian cross with Italian… there will be mixed color worker bees)

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Wooden Ware and Frames!

New opportunity to load-up on Hive Bodies, Westerns and Supers.  We have all spent too much on shipping and labor assembling – now there is an option you might be interested in.  Place your order with the Nucs and Hive Kit will be delivered here the same day as your Nucs.  Pretty cool.  Below is a list of essentials.  Treated wooden wear is what Gib does for his 2500 hives – he hot dips in a blend of Linseed oil and Beeswax.  Is a natural and long lasting treatment.  You cannot paint the box after this treatment – it will weather like natural wood and look more natural in our valley.

 

Item List:

 

1.      Deep Box with 10 frames, Treated & Assembled………….$55.00 ea

2.      Deep Frames by themselves…………………………………$ 3.65 ea. (All frames are Mann Lakes assembled and wax coated ritecell foundation)

3.      Deep box, Treated & Assembled…………………………....$23.35 ea

4.      Western boxes with 10 frames assembled and treated…. $50.10 ea

5.      Western Frames by themselves………………………….…..$ 3.35 ea

6.      Western Box assembled and treated………………………..$21.15 ea

7.      Cedar Hive Lid…………………………………………………$23.00 ea

         

What to do –

1.      Email your list of items in the next couple weeks, 

2.      In late February I will send out another email confirming the quantities – you can amend your order at that time. 

3.      Payment at the time of the order.  March First – Mail a check to me, made out to:  Gib Earl

I will hold these checks for Gib until he delivers. 

4.      With receipt of your check your order will be confirmed. 

 

Pick-up

Marilyn & Dave Sabold have generously offered to host the NUC Pick-up. Thank you Sabolds’!  In order to not be to be a burden - this year all items must be picked up by 11am.  If you cannot make it by noon you can ask a friend to pick-up on your behalf. 

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Queen Bees

If you need to re-queen or want to make splits  – Gib is offering Queens .

A Queen is $27 (each) and will be delivered at the same time as the Nucs (delivered here to the Methow in Mid-April).

November Newsletter

The November 2013 issue of the Washington State Beekeepers Association newsletter has now been posted. Pick up your copy from the main page at www.wasba.org by clicking on "Newsletters & Info" on the home page. Then click "Current issue: November 2013" on the page that opens.

Offer to sharecrop beeswax

I need more wax than my bees produce in order to make our beeswax skincream www.gardnergardens.com. I will buy your refined or raw cappings wax. OR we could sharecrop at 50% if I refine your cappings. I'd return a block of your purified yellow wax in exchange.

second brood boxes added today

I looked at all my recently hived nucs and found all the new queens and saw some eggs she had laid. Quite a color contrast between the black queens and the lighter workers! I saw wall to wall bees and added second brood boxes today. Dave Blum caught a swarm from one of his (overwintered?) hives today. I'm pretty sure our nucs will want to swarm, especially if they feel crowded. One of my newly hived nucs had hundreds spilling out the front of the hive - that was my clue to add boxes.

queens free now!

This morning (Thursday April 12) I checked all five of my new nucs to see if the worker bees had released their queen. They had. I didn't want to disturb the colony to look for eggs. I'll wait until next week to check to make sure she's laying.