NE MN Beekeepers Forum

We have found that the default controls for this board were set too restrictive. They have now been loosened up. Basically, if you are a registered user, you can now post messages and replies immediately. You can also indicate that you would like an email sent to you when a news comment is posted. I...

It sounds like you are making good progress. Since I started with new packages, I am waiting for my populations to increase to give me some spare nurse bees to work with. My plan is to build a combined starter/finisher hive as detailed in Dr Connors book. I hope to do some grafting late June to have...

When will you be starting in earnest? Considering the difference in our micro-climates, I'm pretty sure you are a week or two further into the season than those of us sitting by the big lake. I would like to drop by for a visit to see your setup.

Billy Agreed it's time to get moving on this topic. I have one concern I have not yet been able to think through - while making 100 queens might be relatively easy, I'm not so sure that getting them mated won't pose problems initially. I don't think members of our group have wrapped their heads arou...

For those of you new to beekeeping we thought it a good idea to discuss how to install your new package of bees. There are a number of videos that can be found on the subject with a Google search. However a lot of these advocate direct release of the queen from her cage. It is this keeper's opinion ...

If you would like to receive an email notification whenever new comments or content are added to this forum, do this... Click on the 'Queen Rearing' forum While you see the topics on the screen, look at the lower left area of the screen Click on the words "Subscribe Forum" From this point on, any ch...

Here's another book that I have reread a couple times now. The OTS (On The Spot) technique is one that allows a beekeeper to successfully breed many queens with no additional tools other than a sharp hive tool, a bee brush and a couple empty brood boxes. OTS_QR.jpg This method basically allows the k...

Here are a couple good You Tube videos that demonstrate what we are proposing to try this season. The first is a short 4 minute demonstration of the grafting process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM-80-H0rR0 (Did you notice the presenter stick the grafting tool in his mouth between larvae transfe...

Lets use this area to share links to web videos that we think are of value.

I have enjoyed a book written by one of our speakers from last year's winter seminar. QRBook2.jpg This book, written by Dr Larry Connor has a number of ways to approach this issue. In it he focuses primarily on grafting, and then offers several ways to configure starter and finishing hives. He also ...