> ALMOND POLLINATION MATH -- January 2013, Pacific Nut Producer
> http://apisenterprises.com/traynor/ALMONDPOLLINATIONMATH.pdf
>

 An interesting model (since we have been talking about models).

I find this interesting:

"A frame of bees contains about 1,500 bees.  An 8 frame colony contains
about 12,000 bees."

Perhaps someone pollinating almonds could comment on these numbers.  It
does not seem that the frames are brood frames, just frames of bees.  There
would be quite a bit of variation depending on temperature.

About 15 years ago some researchers in Nova Scotia (Lawrence Eaton???) did
quite a bit of calculating on hive numbers here and there was talk of
making standards for blueberry pollination. They related frames of brood
(counted by area of coverage), frames of bees (looked at from above in a
certain temperature range) and hive numbers.  It is my recollection,
without searching for the report, and my memory could be faulty, that 8
frames of bees looked at on a day (over something like 10 to 15 degrees C)
corresponded to 5.5 deep frames with over 50% coverage of brood and they
gave a figure of 29,000 bees.

I had always thought that a 1.5 kg package of bees (3.3 pounds) was under
but approaching 10,000 bees (this is a modeling figure for which there must
be a near exact value).  If we take 90 mg as the weight of a bee
(Wikianswers, not the best source) (I think I have also seen 75 mg, maybe
that is hungry weight) then 10,000 bees are 900gm.  But I think that figure
is too light.  Dump that in a hive and it will certainly nowhere near cover
8 frames (but I have always installed packages here in early spring when it
is cold).

So, please correct my math or assumptions.
Stan

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