Hey, before you get too excited about the upcoming warm up outside, it may not be as good for the hives as you might think. I'll tell you why, but before I do, I have a few things to share.
Our YouTube almost daily Vlogs have been a huge hit. People from around the US and around the world are enjoying them everyday. In one of my vlogs I talked about different flavored honey and why honey is different colors and why and how it crystallizes. It is a fun video and in that video I mentioned that I am giving away a Long Lane Honey Bee T-Shirt like the one I am wearing above.
Here's how we are picking the winner. If you go to that particular video vlog and subscribe and leave a comment letting us know you want the shirt, we'll randomly select a winner in a few weeks. So watch that video and subscribe and leave us a comment that you'd like to try and enter the drawing for the shirt. Here's the video:
If the video above didn't play right, here's the link: https://youtu.be/eeGwskCy_X4
OUR BEE KITS ARE STILL AVAILABLE BUT GOING FAST
We still have hive kits that include a package of bees with a mated queen. But they are going very fast and we have less than 80 kits that include packages of bees available. If you are considering getting started in beekeeping and sitting on the fence, get off the fence and jump in with both feet.
Once we run out of bees with our kits, we recommend you buy our kits and find packages from other places. But they are selling out fast. I do not want you to be disappointed from procrastinating.
Our most popular kits are:
Nearly a decade ago we started building and selling hives. Our completely assembled and painted hive is still a big seller. Comes with frames and foundations. Ready to be placed in your yard or field. Check it out today.
And if you want me to put my special touch to your hive, check out my David's Ultimate Wish List Hive. Comes with scored inside walls, extra wax added to frames, beetle traps and green drone comb traps.
Hey women, we've got a beautiful hive tool just for you. It's pink! Ok fellows, if you want a pink one you can buy one too. A Pink Hive Tool.
And we brought back our popular Busy Bee Special
ONLINE SPECIAL ONLY! INCLUDES SHIPPING COSTS
How much easier can it get? We know you're busy and maybe you've been confused by what you need. Our Busy Bee special takes all the stress out of getting started in beekeeping providing you with a completely assembled and painted hive, and a 3 pound package of bees with a mated queen. The hive (Woodenware) is shipped soon after you place your order, but the bees must be picked up at our farm in central Illinois in May (see below for more info). Our complete hive comes with: 1 screen bottom board, two deep hive bodies(each hive body contains 10 wooden frames with foundation, beeswax coated and one medium super containing 10 wooden frames with foundation bees wax coated, one inner cover, one telescoping top cover with metal covering and a front entrance reducer. The box corners are rabbet joint corners. Also includes one feeder (styles vary).
PACKAGE BEE INFORMATION: This kit couldn't get any easier. You receive the hive at your house, then you come to the Training Center at LONG LANE HONEY BEE FARMS to pick up your bees. The estimated date for pick up is May 7/8 from 9 - 3 in Fairmount, IL. You will receive an email with detailed information, so you must register here with a valid email and check it to read all information. While we will do our best to hit the targeted date, and keep you informed if it changes, it is your responsibility to put the date on your calendar. We suggest taking a beekeeping course so you understand how to hive, maintain, inspect, and feed your bees, as well as understanding overwintering conditions and pests and diseases. We also suggest a minimum of a hat with veil, hive tool and smoker to complete your set. Click on videos above for installation instructions.
Our first beekeeping class of 2016 will take place this Saturday! We are working our fingers to the bone preparing for another great year of classes. I'll be doing some filming for upcoming vlogs too. We have some special hive kits available for class students. Take a class, buy our student kits and save a buck! If you are coming to our class and still need a hive and some bees, call Sheri for the special deal. 217-427-2678. Check out all of our classes.
DON'T GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT THE WARM WEATHER
I've seen the forecasts and it looks like a warm weekend here in Illinois and maybe where you live too. This would be great if there were nectar sources available but there is nothing out there. This would be great too, if it remained warm the rest of the year. Here in Illinois it will get very cold again.
Bees will break cluster, eat more and feed the queen more which means there will be more larvae that will require much more food in a few weeks when it might be very cold again. I like to feed my bees liquids if they can fly. While it will be warm, it is predicted to be very windy here so I am not going to feed them liquids in fear that the winds will hold them in the hive.
For those of you who have wrapped your hives with insulation, I would recommend you remove the insulated wraps on sunny days above 40 degrees (f). Insulated wraps can block the warm sun from warming the hive. If you used roofing paper to wrap your hive, the warmth will penetrate through the paper, not need to remove it. But when temps drop below freezing, be sure to wrap them back up.
A mild winter means that bees consume more food and transfer more food to each other which means viruses spread more when the bees feed each other. I'd rather see a cold winter where temps remain from 15-30 degrees (f) until March and then an early spring. That would be perfect.
The main thing to remember is continue to feed your bees until you have a good source of nectar in the spring. The bees need your help over the next 8 weeks. This is the time weak hives begin to die no matter how warm it gets.
Someone said they read that it is good to keep water in the hive in the winter. WRONG! They have plenty of moisture in the hive in the winter. Do not add any. We work hard to reduce moisture in the winter time. Healthy colonies do a great job at keeping the moisture where they want it.
Be sure and spread the word and try and get your friends and relatives into beekeeping. We need more beekeepers to increase the number of hives in America for pollinating our fruits and vegetables. Thank you for sending them our way!
As always, thank you for doing business with us. We appreciate it.
David and Sheri Burns
www.honeybeesonline.com
217-427-2678
www.honeybeesonline.com
217-427-2678