Good Honey Production!

Ben replacing the ventilation box!

I needed help to look into the supers, to see how much nectar was capped. I wanted to know when  we will be able to harvest this year.

The weather has been perfect for the foragers to gather lots of surplus nectar! The bees are working very hard. When we opened the hives, they smelled very sweet...I love it!

Both Italian colonies have many supers on,  it is so tall that even with a step stool I cannot reach the top...and besides it is too heavy for me to lift way over my head! This is why I need a helper!

The first colony has 3 deep brood boxes, and 5 regular supers and one deep super. A regular super weighs about 40 pounds and a deep super 50-60 pounds!

The second colony has  also 3 deep brood boxes, and 3 regular supers and 2 deep supers!

When I put those deep supers on , frankly I was not thinking... I will not do that again!  Way too heavy to lift, and to carry around. See I do learn!

We are planning to  extract during Labor Day weekend, September 5, 6 and 7th.

Happy Beekeeping!

New : University of Minnesota Bee and Pollinator Research Lab

Dr. Marla Spivak thanking supporters

 August 3, 2015

At 3:00pm under a beautiful blue sky and gentle breeze the first step was taken to build a state of the art Bee and Pollinator Research Lab. It has been a dream of Dr. Marla Spivak for many many years, and it is finally happening.

Donors, supporters, faculty members, students and volunteers were assembled for this Ground Breaking Ceremony.

It will take about a year to build, so the Grand Opening should be around the same time next year...2017!

Congratulations to Marla, and Gary Reuter for their huge endeavor and wonderful vision! I which them good luck!

Ground Breaking with dignitaries

Varroa Mites: Natural Treatments

Colonies in lavender field , Southern France

Here are few natural treatments that beekeepers can use to treat against Varroa mites. No particular order.

1. Apiguard
2. Apilife Var
3. HopGuard
4. Mite Away II
5. Oxalic Acid

Apiguard

Thymol, temperature needs to be above 59F (15C). Need to remove honey supers before treating colony.

Apilife Var

Thymol, eucalyptol, menthol and camphor. Not temperature sensitive. Need to remove honey supers before treating colony.

HopGuard

Hop. Not temperature sensitive. Honey supers can stay on colony while treating.

Mite Away II

Formic acid. Use from mid-April to mid-June and again mid-August to mid-September,temperature has to be between 50F to 85F  ( 10-30 C). The honey supers can stay on colony during treatment.

Oxalic Acid

Also known as "wood bleach", can be used only when little amount of brood is present in the colony. Honey supers have to be remove before the treatment. NOT YET APPROVED TO USE IN MINNESOTA.

AS WITH ANY MEDICATION, USE ONLY WHEN NEEDED, AND FOLLOW THE LABEL CAREFULLY.