Michael Palmer wrote:

>I think Bob H has it right. It's PPB! 

Well, you certainly let the cat out of the bag. Referring back to the discussion of the beekeeper 
indemnification, let me tell you a true story. This was related to me by one of the largest and most 
successful beekeepers in San Diego County, back in the 1970s.

He was running several thousand hives, up to 5 or 6 at some point, all over San Diego County. Had 
the best bees of anyone, pollinated almonds, got great crops off the sage and wild buckwheat. But 
some years when there wasn't much rain, they'd go over to Imperial County.

Now, the Imperial Valley is below sea level. In the summer it's hotter than holy hell and humid, on 
top of it. The more successful beekeepers from there manage to get their bees over to San Diego for 
the build-up and return to El Centro to try to make some alfalfa honey or pollination fees.

By the end of the summer the hives are wrecked due to the excessive heat and the constant 
spraying that goes on. So a lot of people used to put in for spray indemnification, back in the day. But 
not our San Diego beekeeper.

He told me that he never lost a hive to spray. Sure, they were down to a few frames, but hauled back 
to San Diego, they'd recover. Why did the other beekeepers have so many dead-outs, we are 
wondering?

He put it down to PPB. Crummy bees, worn-out queens, out and out neglect. But why worry about 
those things? When a dead hive will earn you cash, almost as much as a live one? I could go on, but 
I trust you get the drift.

pb

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