Yesterday, I attended a conference for growers where our state Apiary
Extension agent made a presentation.  It was a good presentation on why bees
are beneficial for fruit production and how to evaluate colony strength but
I am afraid that it focused on standard populations meaningful for large
growers.

It used to be that there were abundant honeybees in a most areas so that the
small grower did not have to worry about pollination.  He got it free from
the wild bees of the area.  His blocks of crops to be pollinated were small
and staggered.  The large grower with tens of acres of a single product knew
that he had to get the pollinators brought in or there would be no crop.  I
believe that was the condition of McGregor's work and the basis for the
colony numbers.  What if there are only five acres of a single bloom crop
such as apples or pears?

Now they are recommending an increase of the number of colonies for the
large grower because the bees are less able to perform the function due to
mite stress.  What about the small grower?  Does he use the same numbers or
does he actually have to go higher?  There are now no wild honeybees in the
area.  The reason for my question is the surrounding pasture.  The small
growers here grow fruit and vegetables for roadside sale.  Early in the
spring, the vegetable fields are weeds from the last year, many of them
blooming.  Very near by, there is vacant land, hedge rows from an earlier
era, and light woods.  There is often abundant pasture within half or even a
quarter of a mile.  These plants may be very enticing pasture.  Has there
been work in this area?

One time I was told that the average grower can get by without bees, that
only about one year out of seven is the weather such that he needs to so
flood his orchard that he gets sufficient pollination even in the lousy
weather.  Is that still the case since the mites have decimated the wild
bees?

Raymond J. Lackey                           Sweet Pines Apiary
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