>Question: What if they use the bees normally split in Texas
>for nucs for almonds instead first, and then bring them
>back?
It will work but the line is much finer.  The bees are stressed from being
hauled, loaded, and unloaded-not to mention sitting grouped up in large
numbers and not getting fed as timely as maybe necessary.  The beekeepers
are either reliant on good oversight of their colonies in California or
are stressed themselves from forging many extra miles.

>How will that change the schematics of divides later?
The bees which have wintered in East Texas and be split in March into 2
frame nucs with a queen cell and produce a crop of honey up north.  Good
hives will run 8-10 frames of brood during that time.  These bees are
robust with brood and emerging new bees.  Even if they make it back by the
first part of March they may or may not be ready to split like this for
several weeks.  The other options are to split in California which is a
disadvantage as it is apart from the base of operations and more time away
from home.  Another option is to return the bees to the Midwest and split
with mated queens here.  I know of a (now California) beekeeper that
successfully did this several years.  It's more of what I talked about
earlier and walking the fine line.  And economics of pollination prices
being up and honey prices going down.

>Has this person ever sent to almonds before?
I am making general references to situations I am aware of involving
different beekeepers from previous years.  The bees returning from the
almonds have varied greatly in condition.  This probably is attributable
to the condition which they were sent (in some cases), the care they
received while there, the hauling, conditions while they were there-all
general wear and tear demands of pollination.  One beekeeper I know of has
sent good bees each time and seen them return anywhere from excellent to
poor.
Our small lot is in California for the first time this year.  They were
committed and there long before this shortage.  If it works out this year
and now having the connections established it may be a situation of
raising bees for pollination and taking a honey crop incidentally.

Bob Nelson

Not claiming to have it figured out but have been around long enough to
see many come and go.

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