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Author Topic: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees  (Read 9463 times)

Offline Angi_H

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Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« on: December 01, 2007, 02:48:44 am »
Ok where are the best places to buy packaged or nuk bees from and have them delivered here. I might be getting a hive from my hubby friend. But if we cant get togather to get it done I am thinking of ordering some. But then I would have to buy more bee boxes. As I have one Hive body with bottom board, inner cover  and telescoping cover with Dadents Pasticel foundations. I had planned on anyway going over to dadent (they are in Fresno about 20min away from me) and picking up another hive body med and 2 supers. Anyway. Now I am thinking that I shouldent have went with Dadents recomidations and stuck with wax foundations with clips instead of wires for the supers. I just need to get my bees and need to get them before I start transplanting tomato plants at the end of Feb. As that is when it is time to plant them here in Central CA.

Angi
Gosh I wish we had spell check on here

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2007, 07:10:12 am »
More than likely you wont be able to get bees in-till april-all of the local package and nuc producers will be busy doing almond pollination to build up there bees Intel that time - and for small orders you had better get your name on there list or you will be at the end of the run -which means mid may -the bees wont work your tomatoes -so it must be time restraints on your part      :-\  RDY-B

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2007, 11:07:10 am »
also try craigs list to find things.  i was amazed at how much stuff i was able to get that way.  even got calls to pick up swarms.  those didn't work out because they mostly turned out to be yellow jacket nests....but at least i knew people we using the site.  of course, this is portland, and craigs list is popular here for the same reasons it's popular in some of the stranger places in CA  :-)

earliest most places ship is April.  do find a place and get your order in this winter.  if you do not, there will not be any bees left for you.  usually the orders need to be in by Jan. or Feb.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2007, 11:21:30 am »
Angi, don't worry about your spelling.  All posts are understood, whether there are spelling errors or not, that is not even something to worry your pretty little head about.  So don't.  We all make spell mistakes.  I don't know why, though, but I do have a built in speller when I type my posts.  It can come in kind of handy sometimes, but annoying when I cannot plain and simply find the right spelling (hee, hee), so I guess I do kind of use it, but don't worry too much.  Spell error away!!!!

Angi obviously lives in a warm climate if she can plant tomatoes out at the end of February.  I know I certainly can't get my tomatoes even set into my greenhouse until at least the beginning of May.

There must be someone in our forum that has nice weather like Angi and can tell her where to get package or nucs from.  Come on......

Dallas, you live down in Florida, so do you Brendhan.

Where do people that live in the warmer climate get their bees from.  There MUST BE A PLACE.

Angi, just wait a bit for responses from forum members, someone should be able to eventually turn you onto a place.  It is important that the tomoatoes get proper pollination, so I hear your plight!!!!  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, enjoy our lives we live.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2007, 12:45:31 pm »
if you are using Internet Explorer, download IeSpell.  it's pretty good, but has a few quirks.  if you spell check and then go back to add to your post, sometimes it pukes and you lose your post.  BTW  'pukes' is a computer term   :evil:
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2007, 01:58:25 pm »

(Where do people that live in the warmer climate get their bees from.  There MUST BE A PLACE.)                               YES of course there is a place it is called AUSTRALIA 400 package minimum@$120 a throw              EVery available surplus bee will be in ALMONDS -then sold off as packages and nucs( precious commodity dont you know )  8-)  RDY-B

Offline Kirk-o

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2007, 02:51:58 pm »
I get mine From Coma Apiaries in Millsvile California a small family outfit.Good queens and good Queens.They are one of the few that still mail packages.They have a web site they sell nucs to .
kirko
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2007, 09:04:55 pm »
Rdy-B and Kirk.  Good, see, there are responses and will be more responses for Angi, yea!!!!!  Have a wonderful and greatest of all days.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Angi_H

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2007, 11:23:56 pm »
Why wont the bees work my tomatoes????????? When we do have bees that is what helps pollinate them is the bees. When the farmer down the road had bees out there for pollination there were bees every where all over the tomato blossems. And hand pollinating sux. Bees will work tomato plants as they allways are here when they are here. Same with the bumble bees. But I plant other things as well like pumpkins, water melons, I have an orange tree and lemon tree, peppers, basil, squashes, and all sorts of other stuff. So I am a little confused as to why the bees would not work the tomatoes.

Angi


More than likely you wont be able to get bees in-till april-all of the local package and nuc producers will be busy doing almond pollination to build up there bees Intel that time - and for small orders you had better get your name on there list or you will be at the end of the run -which means mid may -the bees wont work your tomatoes -so it must be time restraints on your part      :-\  RDY-B

Offline Angi_H

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2007, 11:31:19 pm »
Can you post a link to there site for me? There is Almonds down the street and if I wait till april my bees wont be established in time for farmers markets and for my tomato fruit set as well as my blueberries and other things that harvest early around here. I have tomatoes to eat by beginning of June on good years. This year was one of them. And that was for good 1 to 2 lb tomatoes. And when I dont have bees to help pollinate the tomatoes come out all deformed and misshapened. Not good sellers for sure. The main thing is the blueberries. Got to get hem pollinated those are the big deal this next year. There has to be someone before April. It is warm enough here in End of Feb March for the bees to be out.

Angi


I get mine From Coma Apiaries in Millsvile California a small family outfit.Good queens and good Queens.They are one of the few that still mail packages.They have a web site they sell nucs to .
kirko

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2007, 12:12:03 am »

   There are a couple problems: one is that the natural pollinator (a wild bee) didn't travel with the tomato as it was spread throughout the world. The other is that the flower is not very attractive to other bees, and when bee populations are low the tomato generally gets ignored. Bumblebees are the most often seen on tomatoes, though honeybees, when hungry enough will also work them, as will some solitary bees.
IT is not a common thing fields and fields of tomatoes and no honey bees bumble yes and many native pollinators           http://www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Factsheet_Cherry_Tomato_Pollination_by_Native_Bees.PDF         the bees you saw where foraging for something but they whernt working your tomatoes heres the link for coma            http://www.damoc.com/     RDY-B

Offline Angi_H

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2007, 12:54:14 am »
They only sell Queens no package bees. And yes they were to working the tomatoes. I sit out there and watch them. Other wise i have to hand pollinate. I have only seen one bumble bee the whole year. And the Heirloom tomato has a huge yellow flower. I have had bees all over the tomatos when the bees were down the street and I know they were from there. The best heirloom tomato growers use bees to help them pollinate there tomatoes as we cant hand pollinate over 200 tomato plants when they are 10ft tall. I had 96 tomato varietys and 150 plants. As well as blueberries, grapes wine and reg, Razberrys, Varrigated pink lemon, navel orange, pumpkins, luffa, mint, lavander, basil, orageno, bell pepper, hot peppers, acorn squash, zucchini squash, rhubarb, artichoke, onions, garlic, spinach, broccoli, califlower, carrots, raddish, celery, turnips, swiss and rainbow chard, as well as flowers like roses, maragolds, lavander, mint, babys breath, etc, What is around me in 2 sq miles, Peach orchards, Plum, cherry, nectorene, apricot, Almonds, Pecans, walnuts, alfalfa all around, cotton, grapes wine and reg, corn, wheat, oats, milo, sorgham and a whole bunch of other varietys of Fruit and nut trees. I have sat and watched bees go from flower to flower on certain heirloom tomato plants then go to the next one in the row from flower to flower. I have lemon and orange trees still in bloom right now as we speak. I am not trying to argue I am just talking with what I know and have see and with who I have talked to in the industry of growing heirloom tomatoes. They are the ones who suggested to me to start with bees. That and my dr for allergies to eat the pollen and honey from my hives.

Angi

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2007, 12:55:03 am »
PERhaps you could find a beekeeper that is looking for a location to put a few hives or you could join your local bee club and enlist some help with bees for the blue berries and other crops you will be planting -I dont know much about them but mason bees or blue orchid bees is always a option-no honey but you will get pollinated this year by your own bees RDY-B

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2007, 01:14:00 am »

In greenhouses, the various types of mechanical vibrators are satisfactory pollinators. In the field, the wind vibrates the plants. Neither of these methods contributes to the pollination of male-sterile plants. Only insects can serve in this capacity (fig. 185). They also contribute to pollination of those plants or cultivars with styles that extend beyond the stigma. Currence (1944) showed that use of hybrids could increase yields by 20 percent, and he reported finding a male-sterile plant that set good crops from artificial pollination. Barrows and Lucas (1942) estimated the value of hybrid seed at $8 per ounce. This might be decreased if the grower could incorporate a seedling marker to aid in weeding out nonhybrids (Hafen and Stevenson 1956). Others (Hojby 1958, Kerr 1955, Oba et al. 1945, Roever 1948, and Wellington 1912) have shown the value of hybrid tomato production. Shifriss (1945) reported the production of hybrid tomato seeds, produced by the relatively inexpensive labor of college girls. Kerr (1955) associated greater numbers of seeds with larger and more rapid fruit development.

Where hand pollination is impractical, insects can be used. Richardson and Alvarez (1957a, b) considered the Halictid bee (Augochloropsis ignita Smith) the most effective pollinator in their area. Bullard and Stevenson (1953) considered neither houseflies, blowflies, nor honey bees of value under cheesecloth cages over six plants. Azzam (1960) observed few bumble bees on tomato flowers in Puerto Rico but several hundred Examalopsis glubosa F. bees.

It is generally known, however, that a few honey bees in such a cage do not act normally. Fletcher and Gregg (1907) hinted that honey bees might be used to distribute tomato pollen. Lesley and Lesley (1939) indicated that "bumble bees and other insects also assist." Neiswander (1954a, b, 1956) showed that honey bees can be of value as pollinators of tomatoes. Fink (1898) considered bumble bees to be effective pollinators. Rick (1950) suggested the use of "wild solitary bees" for cross- pollination of male-sterile tomatoes. Rick (1947) mentioned the value of insect pollinators of tomatoes and their protection from insecticides. Rick (1949) stated that at Riverside, Calif., Anthophora urbana Cresson was most common, but various species of solitary bees and a few species of bumble bees contributed to pollination of tomatoes. Schneck (1928) stated that bumble bees are fond of tomato flowers but that honey bees do not work them "probably because of the peculiar structure of the flower and the absence of nectar." The problem seems to be that wild pollinators in most areas are too scarce to have an impact on pollination of tomatoes from the production stand point.

Occasionally, honey bees visit tomato flowers, as was demonstrated in the greenhouse. Apparently, if they are sufficiently concentrated in a tomato-growing area, the competition could "force" them to visit tomato blossoms for pollen. Unless cultivars are found that produce nectar, there can be no insect pollination of male-sterile varieties for hybrid production.

If such cultivars are found, honey bees might be practical, or useful species of wild bees might be brought from Peru, the native homeland of the tomato, to provide adequate pollination. A new look should therefore be taken at current cultivars in which there has been incorporated new germ plasm to determine if nectar is being produced or if the flower has been changed in any other way that might affect pollinating insects.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2007, 01:16:30 am »
 8-)         http://www.masonbeehomes.com/                                                                                           http://www.beediverse.com/                            RDY-B  :lol:

Offline Angi_H

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2007, 02:18:15 am »
No Mason Bees even though it is my maden name. I need honey bees as I allready have people in my CSA wanting pollen and honey as soon as I can get it. I also need it for my allergies and the health bennifits of it being that I have fibromyalgia, degenerative discs, restless  legs, Chroinc pain, chronic fatigue and tmj with failed joint surgery and can bairly eat. I also have high cholestrol. I have bees comming to me from our friend but they are from swarms he cought in the spring. And I wanted to start a few hives of different breeds to see which ones work better out here. I am smack dab in the middle of farm country there is endless pollination possabilities around here and they will never go hungery. There are 15 alfalfa fields in the 2 sq miles around me and that does not include the orchards of fruit and nut trees around. I am also looking into this for a friend who owns 3 dairys and lots of farm land and if I can get going good they would help me buy hives to place on there orchard they are planning to plant in the next year or 2. Almonds and I would manage them and reep all of the bennifits of the honey. And they would help me and it would help them. Yes they would get honey as well as they are really good friends. They just dont want to have to pay the huge fees for rentals and they thought that if I felt up to it I could manage them and they would help me by them and I could market the pollen, honey and propelles(sp). So sorry no Mason Bees. I dont think we could have them any way
Angi

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2007, 02:32:41 am »
If you get the swarms in time you could use there resources of brood and bees and just get queens of the different types of bees -if you are trying to get bees for the orchard for this season come February it will be very difficult to avoid the expense that comes with them- at least you have the swarms  RDY-B

Offline Cindi

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2007, 09:36:28 am »
Angi, I don't know what to say to you.  It sounds like you have a fantastic place to keep bees, they will had food and nourishment like there is no tomorrow.   That is 100% depicted by what you are speaking about. 

I get the impression that Rdy-B spoke about the bees not pollinating the tomatoes because their may be a more attractive source of nectar/pollen going on at the same time.  Rdy-B correct me if I am wrong.  Impression I got.

That is sometimes an issue with farmers, they require pollination of a specific plant, and the bees sometimes will pass right back that crop because a forager bee has come home and told them of a better crop elsewhere.  It can be an issue.  I know that.  Blueberries here are not OVERLY attractive to bees, and sometimes the farmers have issues with them (even if they are close to blueberry fields) going to another crop, not overly often, but I have heard people speak of it.  My bee course instructor told me that sometimes he had "baited" his hives with a fresh blueberry blossom.  That way when they came out that would be something that they encountered immediately.  I don't know how true this is, it could be hokey pokey, but he said this.

I think that if you set a bee colony right smack dab in with the tomatoes or really close by, then you can be almost guaranteed that the bees will pollinate the flowers.  I grow tomatoes and I can personally say that the bees really like the tomato plants and have a field day.  So, I know that I have enough bees here.

I know hand pollinating tomatoes is ridiculous, especially when they reach such high heights.  I recall reading in my seed supplier magazine that tomatoes must be pollinated around the hour of noon.  That was rather odd to me, and I couldn't imagine doing that right in the hottest part of the day.

I don't want to burst your bubble Angi, but you must listen to this.  When you get bees this year, you may or may not get an overabundance of honey to sell.  Don't count on it.  Do count on maybe getting some for yourself.  The first year of growing colonies is their building up year.  This is the year where they must become healthy and strong.  For the next year, then they will be in great numbers and conditions to work hard for you and them, and you will undoubtedly have excess honey.  You said that you have people awaiting your honey and pollen.  If you tell them that you will have lots for them this year, I think they will be very disappointed.  Sorry, didn't mean to rock your socks, but this is the real actuality of the scene.  Still, go for it, and you will become a great beekeeper, it is s wonderful thing.  Have a wonderful and great day, girl.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2007, 01:01:24 pm »
or, like me, you get honey the first year and none the 2nd.  :-)  if you have many hives, you can probably count on some honey.  if you have a few hives, you are at the mercy of elements, disease, mistakes, etc.  i choose to keep my bit small.  if it is work, it is not fun.

bees will work tomatoes if there are not other things.  i had some bees on mine this year, but it was a skimpy year for them.  i do not think that tomatoes are their first choice....however, i had many other insects pollinating my tomatoes.  i had a bumper crop....that never ripened :-(.

they do seem to love squash!!
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline DayValleyDahlias

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Re: Where to buy package or Nuk Bees
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2007, 05:05:02 pm »
My bees went crazy for squash blossoms,  it was so fun to watch...and of course they simply LOVE African Blue Basil and open centered dahlias~*~and sunflowers, and, and....

 

anything