Hello All,
In Florida beekeeping we noticed that hives tend to drop back to around four
frames of brood after a honey flow which makes populations drop fast. We
found we had to feed a certain amount of syrup each week to make the queen /
bees think a small flow was still on so the queen / bees would maintain the
hive at what *we* considered the proper size to collect the honey from the
next flow or strength for pollination.

Of course the above rarely is important to the hobby beekeeper.

In Missouri we start building the hive around 8 weeks prior to a honey flow.
A slow tricking of the colony to increase size.

California almond pollination:
We used to simply drop a hive on 3=4 frames of brood into almonds and then 
let the bees build. A wonderful situation fot the Midwest beekeeper. Then a 
certain California broker spoiled our plans which has resulted in having to 
set in motion a 4=8 week tricking of the bees for almond pollination (costly 
and results with swarming and other issues we did not have before on return 
of the hives to the Midwest).

The interesting point although the broker has a point is that almonds always 
got pollinated with those field run bees and at times produced record crops. 
Now much of the profits go to bringing in hives early and placing pollen 
patties and feeding to excess so hives will grade which in turn causes 
Midwest beeks problems on the hives return.

37 swarms from a single semi load this spring the first warm day after 
arrival.

The broker claims he has the beeks interests at heart but many of us feel he 
has the growers interests at heart. Out of state beeks prefer the old way 
but California beeks like the new way as they can *sell* the excess bees to 
package producers. Midwest beeks can only make splits. In Missouri we can 
usally work bees in late March but from Nebraska north the bees need taken 
south and split because if brought north in late March the bees are so 
strong they hit the trees the first warm day.

Lloyd Seachrist ( the famous trouble shooter for the USDA-ARS) spoke on the
subject in his book "Honey Getting" of bees always dropping to around 3-4 
frames of brood/eggs when no flow exists.

Sadly most commercial out of state beeks lack a leader and let a California 
broker which controls only 2% of the hives going into almond pollination set 
the rules or *drive the train*. His plan clearly works for California beeks 
but is not of value *in my opinion* for the other two thirds of commercial 
beeks which bring bees into almonds.

I agree that hives as strong as he suggests should command a higher price 
but to suggest that all hives going into almonds need to be at such a level 
does not make sense.

bob

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