March is the most common month for colonies to starve. Take the opportunity of a sunny day and warmer day temperatures, if you haven't already, to peek inside your hive and see how your bees are doing. By this time, the queen has been steadily increasing her...
Native Mason Bees for Early Crops – Part II
In part one, we covered what a mason bee is and why they are important. Now let’s dive into what mason bees need (all within an area of only 100 to 200 feet) and how to encourage and manage your own populations. Reproduction Mason bees are cavity-nesting solitary...
Mason Bees for Early Crops – Part I
It may seem like a difficult task to create an environment for bees to thrive, but give yourself the time to learn something new today and discover what all you can do to aid in the revival of this very important pollinator – the mason bee. Who are the Mason Bees? A...
Bees in February
Hello beekeeper! Longer day length triggers honey bee queens to increase egg production. Your honey bee colonies have likely been slowly building brood population since Winter Solstice. Ideally, they will reach peak population when blackberries are blooming later in...
Pre-Order 2024 Live Bees
Time to place your pre-orders for live bees! We are a distributer of live bees for Fred Selby, a 2nd generation beekeeper from Chico, California. Previously the head of the Shonnard’s Nursery Beekeeping Department, Fred now professionally operates his apiary near...
What is a Fresh Nucleus Hive?
We are proud to offer nucleus hives created by Fred Selby, a 2nd generation beekeeper. After being head of the Shonnard’s Nursery beekeeping department, Fred now professionally operates his apiary near Brownsville, Oregon. What is a Fresh Nucleus Hive? A fresh nucleus...
Italian or Carniolan?
Having trouble deciding whether you want to order Italian or Carniolan bees? Here is a quick run down of the differences: Italian (Apis mellifera liguistica) These bees were brought to the US in the mid-1800s courtesy of Reverend Langstroth, the same person who...
Bee & Pollinator Plants for the Pacific Northwest Garden
Some of our favorite plants for pollinators are on display to show you the best seasonal sources for nectar and pollen. Here are some tips for success in planting for honey bees and other pollinators: Choose heirloom varieties - a simple flower design allows easy...
Your Bees in October
Hello everyone! Your bees may dip into their stores in the month ahead – especially for protein. Protein patties fed in the fall can greatly bolster the health and vitality of your long-lived winter bees. Continue to feed protein into November. At this time of year...
Bees in August
Hope all is well in the hives. We’re coming up on mid- August which is widely considered to be the start of the beekeeping year! By this time your honey supers are off (or should be taken off ASAP - reference our July blog), you’re checking mite levels and treating if...
Beekeeping in July
July is here and that means honey flow in your hive needs to be checked to determine if it’s time to harvest. Your hive work in July will have a definite impact on your colony’s chance of winter survival. During this time your goal is to create the optimal conditions...
Honey Extractor Rental
Extracting your honey just got easier! Investing in extracting equipment can be a big expense for a hobby beekeeper, so we’ve put together a top-of-the-line extractor rental package that enables you to extract your honey with ease at a fraction of the cost. Included:...