>
> >If the farmers undersowed the plantations with a variety of other
> vegetation that would feed bees throughout the year, not only would they
> save a fortune


They need to mow the understory to gain the extra degree or so of frost
protection.  After that, they can't afford the competition for water.

The system is biologically screwy, but in the areas that almonds produce
well, there is not nearly enough forage even under the best of conditions
to support two colonies per acre year 'round.

In fact, I know of no place that can support two colonies of bees per acre
on a landscape scale year 'round.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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