>> > Only a hypothesis but I can assure you many U.S. commercial beekeepers
>> will say they wished they had never started going to California as that
>> was
>> when their troubles first started..
>>
>
> And somehow exposure to pesticides in Calif almonds then leads to their
> problems?  Odd hypothesis, since most Northern Calif commercial
> beekeepers,
> who are most intimately exposed to almonds, simply haven't experienced the
> sort of collapse problems that out of state beekeepers have.

I later read what i quickly sent and should have made clearer that exposer
to pesticides (although time might change thinking) but rather bringing back
bees with nosema issues, varroa mites tolerant to their treatments and small
hive beetle were the most heard issues.

Two beekeepers which have said their serious bee problems started when
almond pollination changed their normal migration routes were the Adee's and
Hackenberg.(personal conversation).

I am surprised when you say California beekeepers have not seen the sort of
collapse out of state beekeepers have seen. I believe they have if you take
into consideration California beekeepers only run a third of the bees in
almonds and perhaps less than a fourth of the hives in the U.S.
California had the most reported CCD I was told but not sure if out of state
hives were included in the survey. Two people I asked said no and one said
yes. Jerry?

 spread that word widely, as it will help to
> maintain strong rental prices for almond pollination.  Last year, out of
> state beekeepers drove down the prices to the point that I had difficulty
> placing my hives.

Only prices? At least I have no verification that when out of state beeks
left many California beekeepers girl friends and wives were missing kind of
like the days of the Viking raids!


>> >Reports are of a huge shortage this year in almonds.

You have wrote in your article 2011 will be the year most new groves will
come on line. Not so?
I have read the water issue has eased? Not so?
Due to the poor honey crops this year in the Midwest many beekeepers are
reporting many hives needing feed and low concentrations of bees. In years
of poor honey crops bees winter poorly.

If you need hives I know the availability of 20,000 strong singles. Like
last year these hives are only for sale and not for rent into almonds.


>> >realistic question:  What will almond growers do if they can not get
>> enough bees from U.S. beekeepers?
>
>
> Bob, since when did you begin to adventure into reality?  Answer:  they
> will
> raise the offered price by a few dollars, and more hives will appear.

Past almond pollination beekeeping history says instead of the above those
growers will call the largest Midwest beekeepers begging for hives ( like
last year!) and offer around $200 a hive for field run bees.

 I'm
> surprised that you haven't noticed the pattern!  The largest almond
> grower,
> Paramount Farms, just did so.

Paramount farms would of course like to set pollination prices. However the
person with the hives sets the prices when the shortage sets in. Also
willing to take a lower than the Paramount set price when the supply of
hives exceeds demand.

Nothing personal .

 Last year, their beekeepers supplied hives at
> an average strength exceeding nine frames.  This year Paramount bumped up
> the price slightly to ensure that they got the bees they need.

What does a *few* dollars of *bumped up the price slightly* amount to in
the form a beekeeper raise. (few means three dollars?)

Control of a market is important and almond growers are trying.

market example:
In my orchard customers all want number one apples. When those run out they
happily buy number twos. In a poor year ( not this year as bumper crop *for
those able to rent hives*) number twos sell for number one pricing.

In almonds past history has shown that field run bees WILL bring top dollar
when California beekeepers can not supply the hives needed.

Bob Harrison
> Grounded in reality in Missouri ( was California)

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