Bob Harrison wrote:  SHB could change the face of the California queen &
package industry. Raising queens in small mating nucs like Grandpa did will
not work when SHB 
arrives.

Thanks for the reply, Bob

I'm sure that my "dinosaur" friend will be amused by your description of
him--but I think you might have the wrong guy in mind.  I admire your
progressive attitude (especially from someone who's been keeping bees since
before dirt!).  I think everyone would do well to keep looking at the
horizon, and adjust their operations and methods proactively.  I will be
speaking to the California Queen Breeders Association in a few days, and
will pass on your insights about SHB and mini nucs (most are already
aware--we're not really as dumb out here as you may think).

I know that you are predicting that SHB will infest all of Calif, and that
may well come to pass.  However, we've been exposed to the beetle for some
years now, and there is some evidence that it does not reproduce well in our
dry climate and hard soils.  A few Calif beekeepers I've spoken with who
have picked it up in almonds have seen beetle levels drop in their
operations, rather than increase.  This may be wishful thinking, but we're
hoping that without continued reinfestation by out of staters, that we might
be able to keep beetle levels negligible, and continue producing
"inexpensive" queens for the rest of the nation.

Personally, I'm just a small-time beekeeper.  But in speaking with the "big
boys," I'm seeing that an agribusiness-style high-efficiency model of
producing bees for pollination is likely to be the model for the future. 
We've had Bob Koehnen's operation locally to set an example of "feedlot"
beekeeping.  You can see how Keith has adopted it.  I personally find it
cheaper to move to better summer pasture, but I have a small operation that
can find locations.  Not so with the big boys.

Brett Adee is setting down 5000 colonies in a yard here, and feeding the
heck out of them.  Beekeeping without flowers involved!  He's managing them
as pollinating units that require protein and carbohydrate inputs, and 5000
in a yard is an efficient way for his crews to manage that feeding.  It also
will equalize mite levels for uniform colony performance and treatment.

California farmers have mechanized farming and harvesting.  Trees are
pruned, and fruit is harvested by machine in some cases.  Lack of labor is
the driving force.  Much of Calif's pear crop rotted on the trees this year
due to lack of available labor.  Beekeepers are experiencing a similar
problem--labor costs are killing us.  I'm a dinosaur in that I love the
keeping of bees, just like I like my little flock of chickens at home.  But
I don't imagine that little flocks like mine could produce all the chicken
McNuggets demanded by our hungry nation.  The small beekeeper who knows each
of his colonies personally will not be able to supply enough bees for the
huge pollination market.

You said "The migratory beekeepers which are left are left because they
quickly adapt to the fast changing beekeeping world. All the old dinasaurs
are gone now in our business."  I totally agree.  I think the first
operation that incorporates more mechanization will set a new model.  Just
look at Jim Payson's video of nuc making (John Miller has a similar nuc
assembly line).

Bob, I don't always agree with you on points, but appreciate your
progressive suggestions for our industry.

Randy Oliver

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