Hello Randy & All,
Randy you will love this post!
There are many myths about bees from out of state beekeepers and when traced
back most rumors go back to California beekeepers.
Almond growers will say they get plenty of strong hives from out of state
( in fact most of the hives in almonds come from out of state). I have
personally seen plenty of "dink" hives in California beekeepers yards. Also
in out of state beekeepers yards. Out of state beekeepers which send bees to
almonds yearly know not to send "dinks". Most "dinks" come from first time
shippers.
My beekeeping partner was constantly saying "Bob somebody is going to catch
you looking through California beeks hives' My answer:
"You don't think they look through ours ?"
A couple points which California beeks never talk about.
1. hives confined over winter from the Midwest are ALL winter bees and young
bees without worn out wings (like many California hives). They hit the air
with a vengeance not seen in California wintered hives. (personal
observation). The Midwest hives send out a higher number of foragers because
few nurse bees are needed. Almost all the hives bees are forager age!
When you have kept bees both in the south and overwintered in the north you
understand what I am saying. Bees wings wear out. Old bees die quickly when
moved into a strong pollination. Most of the "bees by the pound' are lying
dead on the almond grove floor in a few days .
two sides to every coin and story. I am sure Randy will provide a different
opinion!
2. The rating system in California is based simply on sheer numbers of
bees. Nothing else! Not quality of the bees.
Jerry B. said when he checked even the so called healthy hives had high
nosema levels and virus issues but appeared healthy in most instances..
Sheer hive numbers is a poor way to evaluate a hive.
Bees by the pound we say . Old bees with worn wings bring the same price as
young fresh young Midwest winter bees.
Certainly one way to gauge a hive (sheer numbers) but our Australian hives
flew and hour earlier and an hour later than our European hives. With no
varroa or virus issues each Australian hive performed .
No need for remebee on these hives!
We actually have video of the difference. Flew in rain!
Frank Eischen did a study putting a package against a full size hive. Apples
to oranges? Still the Australian package brought in the most pollen *at the
start*. As the brood emerged the U.S. full size hive took the lead. Why
wouldn't it?
Why would you even do such a study? Hmmm.
Most of the out of state "dinks" come from North Dakota and northern tier
beekeepers which do not have time to work their bees before shipping. A
blizzard ( today) in October displays those beeks have to simply ship and
sort later. Some try to revive their bees over the winter with new queens
etc. but a poor way in my opinion. Old bees from the Dakotas will survive
longer than in a cold winter situation. Maybe even to "bees by the pound".
Some of the best out of state bees come from Texas. those bees are still
today on flows (while in California the bees diet is bathtub pollen sub and
HFCS in many cases.
This post was so much fun!
bob
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