After a presentation and conversation with a commercial pollinator, I have been musing on the differences in hive survival rates and management practices between the sideline/hobby beekeepers and the pros. 

Putting the differences in beekeeper experience and motivation aside, what accounts for the higher survival rate of pollination hives? I would have thought that hives that stay stationery, are attended to and treated on an individual level, that eat honey rather than corn syrup, and are not exposed to the diseases passed during almonds would fare better, but clearly that data show otherwise.

Is it that commercial pollinators are better at disease management? Or is it that the bees get 4 big honey flows a year (at different locations) as opposed to one or two? Or is it the practice of continually redistributing resources among hives, or splitting aggressively to make nucs and/or packages? Or wintering in warmer climates? Or climate controlled wintering? Or something else entirely? (I know the real answer is probably a combination of the above.) 

But for the sake of discussion, what commercial practices do you think hobbyists and sideliners could learn from? And what advantages do you think hobbyists have over commercial operations in terms of hive survival only?

(I am ruling out beekeeper experience because of the number of certified “master beekeepers,” who have experienced losses far above the commercial rate)

Sent from my iPhone
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