You can learn a lot here. Read through our Frequently Asked Questions, and if you don't find the information you're looking for, you can submit a new question using the form at the bottom of this page.
1. Where do the Bees come from?
We get our bees from Northwest, OR. A similar climate as ours in the North West.
2. Are they Almond Bees?
They have been off the Almond pollination for three weeks or more. Giving them a rest and chance to raise new nurse bees.
3. Where are the Queens from?
We get our Spring Queens from Northern California and Hawaii.
4. How are they transported?
They are transported in the early morning North. They are in an enclosed trailer with a soft ride suspension. There are fans installed in the trailer and several fresh air vents to keep the bees cool. NOTE: It's not the outside of the stack of bees that get hot, it's the middle bottom portion of the stack of bees. There are also air vents to let the air out. We keep the Bees cool. If they are flying in the cages they get hot and over heat and die. The ride has to be soft
5. Do I need to feed the bees?
Yes, feed them like crazy. Use "Complete Bee" at least two feedings. Complete Bee comes in 100ml bottles. It's the finest product on the market. Others are trying to copy Complete, but the formula is proprietary. The Bees eat a lot of syrup and if you're building comb they eat even more. Feed 1:1 Sugar Syrup in the spring mixed with Complete. See our link on mixing instructions. If you are not going to hive them for a day please feed the Bees as they only have enough food for one day in the can. Make sure you put a Pollen patty on the bees as well. Without pollen the bees can not feed the brood properly. The bees need extra pollen during the build up of young. It's pretty simple, no pollen no brood. Lots of pollen lots more brood.
6. How many Nucs should I start out with?
I always recommend two . WHY? If you lose one you have another hive. If a queen dies you have another hive to combine them with. You will get more honey. You'll get to see how different they are. 'll learn twice as fast. I got two the first time Myself. WHY? Because the package supplier that knew more about bees than me said and.
7. How often should I inspect the hive?
Every seven to ten days. That being said: don't go in an look for the queen. Look for where she has been. Look for eggs, brood, and capped brood. If you see her it's should be a surprise! Now, if you do see her place the frame carefully back into the hive and close it up and leave them alone for as long as you can stand it. 7 days. Feed often every other day when building up comb. Every time you feed don't tear the hive up looking at things. You take a Hugh chance of rolling (killing) her.
8. What is Megabee and how to make it?
I sell it by the pound and ready made. I have a great recipe and the bees eat it up.
Mixing Instructions: Tips for Best Mixing Results
MegaBee may be used as a Liquid, Patty or Dry Feed
LIQUID
Mix well in a bucket using a paint mixer or a large spoon; making sure that all powder goes in solution. The final product may have a few clumps, this is normal.
4 Cups of MegaBee powder weighs 1 pound
2 Cups of MegaBee powder weighs 1/2 pound
1 Cup of MegaBee powder weighs 1/4 pound
Note: Sugar and water syrup must be mixed at a minimum 2 parts sugar to 1 part water to keep powder in suspension.
We get our bees from Northwest, OR. A similar climate as ours in the North West.
2. Are they Almond Bees?
They have been off the Almond pollination for three weeks or more. Giving them a rest and chance to raise new nurse bees.
3. Where are the Queens from?
We get our Spring Queens from Northern California and Hawaii.
4. How are they transported?
They are transported in the early morning North. They are in an enclosed trailer with a soft ride suspension. There are fans installed in the trailer and several fresh air vents to keep the bees cool. NOTE: It's not the outside of the stack of bees that get hot, it's the middle bottom portion of the stack of bees. There are also air vents to let the air out. We keep the Bees cool. If they are flying in the cages they get hot and over heat and die. The ride has to be soft
5. Do I need to feed the bees?
Yes, feed them like crazy. Use "Complete Bee" at least two feedings. Complete Bee comes in 100ml bottles. It's the finest product on the market. Others are trying to copy Complete, but the formula is proprietary. The Bees eat a lot of syrup and if you're building comb they eat even more. Feed 1:1 Sugar Syrup in the spring mixed with Complete. See our link on mixing instructions. If you are not going to hive them for a day please feed the Bees as they only have enough food for one day in the can. Make sure you put a Pollen patty on the bees as well. Without pollen the bees can not feed the brood properly. The bees need extra pollen during the build up of young. It's pretty simple, no pollen no brood. Lots of pollen lots more brood.
6. How many Nucs should I start out with?
I always recommend two . WHY? If you lose one you have another hive. If a queen dies you have another hive to combine them with. You will get more honey. You'll get to see how different they are. 'll learn twice as fast. I got two the first time Myself. WHY? Because the package supplier that knew more about bees than me said and.
7. How often should I inspect the hive?
Every seven to ten days. That being said: don't go in an look for the queen. Look for where she has been. Look for eggs, brood, and capped brood. If you see her it's should be a surprise! Now, if you do see her place the frame carefully back into the hive and close it up and leave them alone for as long as you can stand it. 7 days. Feed often every other day when building up comb. Every time you feed don't tear the hive up looking at things. You take a Hugh chance of rolling (killing) her.
8. What is Megabee and how to make it?
I sell it by the pound and ready made. I have a great recipe and the bees eat it up.
Mixing Instructions: Tips for Best Mixing Results
MegaBee may be used as a Liquid, Patty or Dry Feed
LIQUID
Mix well in a bucket using a paint mixer or a large spoon; making sure that all powder goes in solution. The final product may have a few clumps, this is normal.
4 Cups of MegaBee powder weighs 1 pound
2 Cups of MegaBee powder weighs 1/2 pound
1 Cup of MegaBee powder weighs 1/4 pound
Note: Sugar and water syrup must be mixed at a minimum 2 parts sugar to 1 part water to keep powder in suspension.
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Number of
Bags 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 |
Amount of
MegaBee Powder 1 pound 5 pounds 40 pounds 80 pounds 120 pounds 160 pounds 200 pounds 240 pounds 280 pounds 320 pounds 360 pounds 400 pounds 440 pounds 480 pounds 520 pounds 560 pounds |
Amount of
Liquid 2 gallons 10 gallons 80 gallons 160 gallons 240 gallons 320 gallons 400 gallons 480 gallons 560 gallons 640 gallons 720 gallons 800 gallons 880 gallons 960 gallons 1040 gallons 1120 gallons |
PATTY
Prepare MegaBee patties with a heavy syrup, i.e. fructose corn syrup, 50/50 blend or heavy sucrose syrup (2:1 or greater). For soft, moist patties follow the measurements in the chart below. If firmer patties are preferred, reduce the amount of liquid syrup to 1.5 lbs. of liquid per 1 pound of MegaBee.
Prepare MegaBee patties with a heavy syrup, i.e. fructose corn syrup, 50/50 blend or heavy sucrose syrup (2:1 or greater). For soft, moist patties follow the measurements in the chart below. If firmer patties are preferred, reduce the amount of liquid syrup to 1.5 lbs. of liquid per 1 pound of MegaBee.
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Amount of MegaBee Powder
1 pound 5 pounds 40 pounds 80 pound 120 pound 160 pound 200 pound *This chart reflects the use of HFCS 55, 50/50 Blend
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Amount of Liquid
1.7 lbs. = 2 1/3 cups 8.5 lbs. = 11 3/4 cups 68 lbs. = 6 gallons 136 lbs. = 12 gallons 204 lbs. = 18 gallons 272 lbs. = 24 gallons 340 lbs. = 30 gallons |
Patty Material
2.7 pounds 13.5 pounds 108 pounds 216 pounds 324 pounds 432 pounds 540 pounds |
Liquid Media Weights
HFCS 42 = 11.2 lbs./gallon.70 lb. / cup
HFCS 55 = 11.5 lbs. / gallons.72 lb. / cup
Fructose corn syrup / Sucrose Blend = 11.5 lbs./ gal..72 lb. / cup
Sucrose = 11 lbs./gallon.69 lb. / cup
Average Weight
11.3 lbs. /gallon = .71 lb. / cup
HFCS 42 = 11.2 lbs./gallon.70 lb. / cup
HFCS 55 = 11.5 lbs. / gallons.72 lb. / cup
Fructose corn syrup / Sucrose Blend = 11.5 lbs./ gal..72 lb. / cup
Sucrose = 11 lbs./gallon.69 lb. / cup
Average Weight
11.3 lbs. /gallon = .71 lb. / cup
DRY FEED
Utilize standard Dry Feed Methods.
TIPS
When mixing the product it may appear a little thin. If allowed to stand overnight, the mix will absorb some of the liquid, causing the patties to be firmer.
For more tips, use this "Tips for mixing" PDF. Tips for Best Mixing Results
Utilize standard Dry Feed Methods.
TIPS
When mixing the product it may appear a little thin. If allowed to stand overnight, the mix will absorb some of the liquid, causing the patties to be firmer.
For more tips, use this "Tips for mixing" PDF. Tips for Best Mixing Results
18. What is 1:1 sugar syrup, and how to make it?
Use this link: What is and how to make 1:1 sugar syrup.
9. How often do you fed the bees?
I check the food every three days. I don't want them to run out of food when building comb or when building brood. Just a note: Don't use any brown, organic sugars thinking you are doing the bees a favor by feeding them ORGANIC food. They get dysentery on these foods. The Particles are to big to digest and they eat and don't gain weight and die. Use Complete Bee food supplement for the best results. Complete Bee is a new product. Get it and use it as directions say. Your bees will live longer and have more vitality. Complete Bee is being used in 30 countries where the government certifies the product. It must work and be natural or it is not allowed to be sold.
10. Why use Complete Bee food Supplement?
Cause the bees need good food after transport. To help build brood faster, with all the and vitamins in Complete the bees live longer. Living longer means a healthier colony and more honey.
11. Do I need a pollen patty?
Yes your sure do. We have the best pollen patty available. Made from AP23. We are the only package supplier or pollen patty supplier to pack the patty with Complete Bee a full strength triple powered supplement. When its cool outside there isn't much high grade pollen they can forage. The protein is needed to fatten up the queen and make food for the bees being hatched. Give the bees a good start and feed one of our high quality Megabee pollen patty's with Complete Bee with our special proprietary formula.
12. Is it mandatory to feed Nosevit in the sugar syrup?
Yes, although Complete Bee has it in there already. (Please read about Nozevit in the link below). In our opinion the healthier the colony the better. This is proven under normal conditions to help rid the mid gut of the bee of Nosema C. Nozevit also balances the PH of the bee so that it can up take the nutrients. This from the university of Zagreb, Croatia on the Nosevit. We have the study linked on the Home Page. In that country the Federal Government by law mandates bee keepers cannot feed fumigelin or any other chemicals to the bees. Nozevit is a natural product.
13. Is it a good idea to know the life cycle of the honey bee?
Yes, memorize the life cycle. In doing so you will be able to see what stage your hive is in.
14. Do you want the packages back?
Sure! Because I don't charge you for them. Ha, they are new this year. The cans are special also as they don't leak and they are new this year. Plus you can refill the can it has a lid like a paint can on top. If you are one of those folks that rips the side out of the box to get the bees out then keep the box. I'll get you next year. Believe it or not it is not necessary to rip the box apart to get bees out. They are flying insects and want to be in with the rest of the other bees. They will come out given a chance.
15. I'm a new bee keeper, how many Packages should I get?
If you're new get two. Why, because anything can happen and a Queen dying is not what you want. If she does die or some other thing happens to your hive, you have another to keep going. IT'S FARMING not everything is perfect. If the Queen dies the hive dies. If you have two you can combine that Queen-less hive with the other hive and still have bees. It takes a week sometimes to get a Queen, in that time you will get a laying worker. If that happens they won't accept the new queen.
Use this link: What is and how to make 1:1 sugar syrup.
9. How often do you fed the bees?
I check the food every three days. I don't want them to run out of food when building comb or when building brood. Just a note: Don't use any brown, organic sugars thinking you are doing the bees a favor by feeding them ORGANIC food. They get dysentery on these foods. The Particles are to big to digest and they eat and don't gain weight and die. Use Complete Bee food supplement for the best results. Complete Bee is a new product. Get it and use it as directions say. Your bees will live longer and have more vitality. Complete Bee is being used in 30 countries where the government certifies the product. It must work and be natural or it is not allowed to be sold.
10. Why use Complete Bee food Supplement?
Cause the bees need good food after transport. To help build brood faster, with all the and vitamins in Complete the bees live longer. Living longer means a healthier colony and more honey.
11. Do I need a pollen patty?
Yes your sure do. We have the best pollen patty available. Made from AP23. We are the only package supplier or pollen patty supplier to pack the patty with Complete Bee a full strength triple powered supplement. When its cool outside there isn't much high grade pollen they can forage. The protein is needed to fatten up the queen and make food for the bees being hatched. Give the bees a good start and feed one of our high quality Megabee pollen patty's with Complete Bee with our special proprietary formula.
12. Is it mandatory to feed Nosevit in the sugar syrup?
Yes, although Complete Bee has it in there already. (Please read about Nozevit in the link below). In our opinion the healthier the colony the better. This is proven under normal conditions to help rid the mid gut of the bee of Nosema C. Nozevit also balances the PH of the bee so that it can up take the nutrients. This from the university of Zagreb, Croatia on the Nosevit. We have the study linked on the Home Page. In that country the Federal Government by law mandates bee keepers cannot feed fumigelin or any other chemicals to the bees. Nozevit is a natural product.
13. Is it a good idea to know the life cycle of the honey bee?
Yes, memorize the life cycle. In doing so you will be able to see what stage your hive is in.
14. Do you want the packages back?
Sure! Because I don't charge you for them. Ha, they are new this year. The cans are special also as they don't leak and they are new this year. Plus you can refill the can it has a lid like a paint can on top. If you are one of those folks that rips the side out of the box to get the bees out then keep the box. I'll get you next year. Believe it or not it is not necessary to rip the box apart to get bees out. They are flying insects and want to be in with the rest of the other bees. They will come out given a chance.
15. I'm a new bee keeper, how many Packages should I get?
If you're new get two. Why, because anything can happen and a Queen dying is not what you want. If she does die or some other thing happens to your hive, you have another to keep going. IT'S FARMING not everything is perfect. If the Queen dies the hive dies. If you have two you can combine that Queen-less hive with the other hive and still have bees. It takes a week sometimes to get a Queen, in that time you will get a laying worker. If that happens they won't accept the new queen.
IMPORTANT FIRST STEPS IN STARTING BEEKEEPING
- “Read the book First Lessons in Beekeeping by C.P. Dadant.” – A fully developed list of beekeeping books can be found on the What to Read page of this site.
- “Get stung! It’s going to happen a lot.”
- “Join a beekeeping group.”
- “Go local! Visit a beekeeping farm or beekeeper in your area.”
- “Read, read, read! Study, study, study!”
- “Ask lots of questions!”
- “Nurture the desire, intelligence, and patience required to care for another living creature.”
- “Research the initial equipment/bees costs and what the time commitment will be.”
- “Assess the amount of work there is in beekeeping. Take the number of days you plan on working per month and multiply that number by 7. That is the work you will need to do. Take that time and add any special stuff to it such as honey recovery, super, work, and nucleus building. There’s the time and effort – sure you want to be a beekeeper?”
- “Get a mentor that will show you their hives and let you work with them.”
- “Get among the bees – this is the litmus test. You will either be filled with joy, wonder, and amazement (you have the heart of a beekeeper), or fear and dread (find another hobby!).”
- “Maintain perspective. Stay calm and relaxed. Easy does it with everything.”