Last Chance to Order Bees You Chicago Fools! What are you waiting for! To the phones!

Here We Go Again

Well, it's getting late in the pre-season to order bees if one wants a buzzing hive in April.

It's always good to remember that if you lost your colony to a bad winter you can replace them if you act fast. I discovered last year that ordering bees is a tough business. When ordering in Illinois it's a good idea to get step up with a Bee Keeping Club ... see my first couple posts for clubs in the Chicago area. They usually do a group buy and even pick up the bees from the supplier. It's a great deal considering gas prices these days. You need to do this in January or February - after that you will have trouble getting bees without having to buy hive equipment and other crap.

Don't know who this is but she has a great smile!

So this year I contacted my favorite bee supplies and package seller in Illinois and have not yet heard back from them. They like to sell their packages to people who are buying their hives ... I can't blame them one bit. So, I have to get my bees from another location this year. I will be traveling to Wisconsin this year to pick up my package of bees with a marked Queen.

 I ordered my bees from a Dadant  supplier in Watertown, WI. Here is their phone number if you are interested in ordering a 3 pound package for yourself. Just hurry you nerds!!! It's already a bit late in the game! Direct line to the Watertown supplier : 1-920-261-5363
If you prefer to call Dadant to have them direct you to the nearest source : 1-888-922-1293

I hope all of you are doing great and I look forward to you commenting on how stupid I am again this year! Except for you Ronald. You better not even try to write something dumb or I'll throw a pound of my new bees (when I get them) at your face!

This is my cool cousin Murdoc and he taught me how to throw bees to the face!!!

"That's a ball of bees to the face for anyone who wants to get sassy!" ... that's the line my counsin Murdoc uses before he throws a ball of bees at a sassy punk's face!

All joking aside - it's good to be back and hello to everyone!

This really STINGS! My Bees are gone ...

This really stings!

After a very mild Autumn & Winter I discovered my bees have died of starvation. It is a costly lesson for me and I can't help but think that there might have have something I could have done to help them. It's a tuff lesson after enjoying watching the growth of the hive over the spring and summer months.
I have photos from the months when I didn't post which I will add soon.

It's a rough situation. Failed my first year of bee keeping. The only good news is that my new package of bees will not have to build comb at the beginning of the spring season and can concentrate on building the population right from the get go. Hoping for a great 2013. Hoping for a sweet as honey year for everyone!