> Is it usual for bees to be picked up from pollination service while foragers are flying?

The first beekeeping job I had was helping someone with 2000 colonies move bees into apples. We put wood framed entrance screens over the entrances when we moved them in. When we took them out, no screens. 

Well, I was young (24) and asked the boss what was up with the screens, why we didn't use them when we pulled out. He said: "They were for show. The grower wants to think he is getting all the foragers. When it's time to go, all we care about is getting the bees out in a hurry."

A lot about pollination is perception. Nobody really knows from year to year and from crop to crop how much benefit they get from bees. The general idea is to overstock with bees, because its cheaper than losing a crop. Native bees no doubt do a lot, but the combination of honey bees and natives has been shown to be best. 

PLB

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