Package Pick Up this Saturday, May 18.
Our Rossman Apiaries 3lb packages will be available for pickup Saturday, May 18 between 7:30 and 11:30am. All of our packages have been pre-reserved and confirmed via mail. Unfortunately we will not have any additional packages for sale.
If you have a reserved package, please pick up your bees at 188 Capisic Street, Portland between 7:30 am and 11:30 am.
Directions to Overland Apiaries can be found here. Directions to Overland
Please plan to drive your packages directly home from Overland Apiaries (stop for gas on the way here, not on the way home) and install your bees in your equipment as soon as you can once you get home. You will need to feed your bees upon installation, prepare your one-to-one sugar syrup the night before and keep it at room temperature. You should plan to feed your packages for at least several weeks while the bees build their new nest.
Unless you have chosen the installation option on your confirmation, your package will be considered forfeited without refund if not picked up by 11:30 am May 18th.
Packages delayed one week, Again.
Due to poor spring buildup conditions in South Georgia, our package pickup date has AGAIN been delayed by one week by the producer. Our packages will now be arriving in Maine on May 18 ,2013. We apologize for the inconvenience, and realize that you all have made lots of arrangements and re-arrangements around the arrival of the bees, but we hope that all will understand we (and especially the package producers) have to work with the bees and the weather. Erin and Cindy will be going to pick up our packages on Thursday May 16 and will have them here in Portland for pick up Saturday morning.
Please plan to pick up your packages on May 18 , or for those who chose installation, May 26 th.
We sincerely apologize that this notice is so short, but we just received word from Rossman (our package producer) today. We hope you will be able to change your plans accorgingly. Please contact us directly if you will not be able to accommodate this change. Contact Cindy at 207-776-1619. As always, keep an eye on our website for any further changes. And to keep most up to date, "like" OverlandHoney on facebook, we will be updating our page with photos and stories from the trip!
Thanks for your understanding, see you May 18 .
Packages delayed one week, pick up changed to May 11, 2013
Packages delayed one week. Due to poor weather for the past few weeks in South Georgia, our package pickup date has been delayed by one week by the producer. Our packages will now be arriving in Maine on May 11,2013. We apologize for the inconvenience, but hope that all will understand we have to work with the bees and the weather.
Please plan to pick up your packages on May 11, or for those who chose installation, May 19th.
SOLD OUT - packages . As of 3/12/2013, we are no longer accepting package orders.
We will be bringing up 3lb packages of bees from Rossman Apiaries in Georgia for delivery on May 4, 2013. May 11, 2013. To order packages from us, please print the attached confirmation form and send it with your check.
Best wishes for an early spring!
2013 Packages Sold Out
Our 2013 packages are now sold out. If you have placed an order with us, you will receive a paper receipt from us confirming your order and payment. Please keep an eye here on the "news" section of our website for updates on the package delivery, which is scheduled for May 4, 2013.
Packages will be available to pick up at our Portland location, 188 Capisic Street on the morning of May 4th. Installed packages will be available the following Sunday evening, May 12 after 5pm.
Please ensure that you have everything ready for your bees before coming to pick them up, including a pail feeder or other contact feeder of 1-1 sugar syrup, and all of your equipment set up and ready for the bees.
Overwintering nucleus colonies
After a full on record breaking blizzard last weekend and extremely high winds last night, I went to check on the nucs today. They are all looking great, with no visible damage from the storms. I'm hoping for a break in the weather soon to see how the bees are doing.
Healthy Hives Workshop – March 28, 2013 Wells, Maine
Erin is teaching a two hour workshop on breaking the brood cycle and using this natural management technique to improve colony health.
Full program information and registration information here: HealthyHivesWorkshopRegistration28Mar2013
a healthy colony
Seeking funding for Northern Queen project
We are seeking funding for an additional 14 colonies for our 2013 SARE project comparing honey bee package colonies with requeened packages. SARE has funded 36 colonies for this project (the cap of their Farmer Grant), but we would like to increase the sample size to 50.
This project is a continuation of the work we did in 2009 and 2010. The final results of that project were extremely promising, raising the survival rate of the packages from 42% to 90% by requeening. Project description and reports can be found on the SARE website by searching FNE10-694. here
We are requesting donations of in any amount to support this project, or you may sponsor a colony in our project for $500. All donors will be invited to participate in the project, and hive sponsors will not only be able to participate in the project, but will also be able to keep their colony after the project is complete. More details about supporting our project can be found here:
Erin Project Donor Request
FNE12-756 Proposal
Thank you for considering supporting our project.
Feeding honey bee colonies in the 2009 Biddeford SARE yard
2013 Honey Bee Packages for Sale
In conjunction with our 2013 SARE project, Overland will be bringing Rossman Apiaries 3lb Italian packages to Maine in spring 2013. We will have a limited number of these packages for sale at $100 each. Our delivery date will be Saturday May 4, 2013 at Overland Apiaries in Portland. You can order packages and pay via paypal through our shop on this website.
Please be sure to also email us with your contact information (email, mailing address and best phone number).
Beginner and Intermediate Bee School Classes Scheduled
Master Beekeeper Erin MacGregor-Forbes will be teaching bee school through Cumberland County Cooperative Extension again this year.
Call Cooperative Extension at 781-6099 for more information and registration details.
Intermediate School will be held February 6 - March 12, 2012. See the Cooperative Extension website for details. here
Maine Swarm Removal Hotline (207) 619-4BEE
Master Beekeeper Erin Forbes teaches a new beekeeper how to hive a swarm
Erin Forbes collecting swarm of honey bees
The Cumberland County Beekeepers Association has organized a hotline for swarm removal.
If you find a swarm of honeybees, please call (or submit this form) and a beekeeper will come collect them and give them a good safe home.