Hello Michael, Allen & All,
I thought about replying to this post yesterday and read and reread the
comments to address a complex subject. I have put quite a bit of thought
into the subject.

First I can see and understand Michaels position. I don't quite understand
Allen's, "pollination sucks".

All beekeeping is local so the results Michael sees might not be the same
for other beekeepers in other parts of the country.

Pollination of apple's is actually a pollination which we like for a number
of reason's (Missouri). The competition for the apple pollination is
intense. We lost a 450 hive + orchard this spring by trying to raise the
pollination fees by a couple dollars a hive in 2003. A beekeeper from
another state came in but his bees were weak and we still had to bring in
around a hundred hives to bail out the orchard owner (at a even higher fee
because of a short load).
The beekeeper was using an old army jeep with a forklift mast mounted on the
jeep and the engine harmonic balancer flew off and went through the
radiator. I am not putting down the beekeeper or his equipment but only
pointing out that we have got at least two pieces of equipment for each job
needed to place beehives in the orchard. A breakdown as serious as a blown
motor will only stop us by a hour or two. Something to consider when hiring
the beekeeper to do pollination.

I believe my partner said we got the pollination contract back for next
year.

Michael said:
I pollinated apples for 20 years, supplying 400 - 600 colonies to the
orchard. I found the difference between colonies I moved and colonies I
didn't move to be way more than minor compromises.
         Every colony moved lost a super of honey...at today's prices that
is about $45. The strong colonies lost enough strength to make a
nuc...that's $60. The pollinators always had to be fed more for winter. I
used to feed more than 30 drums of HFCS each fall, and now I feed less than
10...about $2. And then there's wintering. I always lost 10 to 15% more
colonies of those that pollinated than those that didn't.

I can't argue and will not on Michaels observations but the above is not
what we get. Everything depends on days of flying time. Three partial days
or one great day (at King bloom) is all the orchard's want as better
pollination causes better set and thinning problems. It is hard for the bees
to store a whole lot when they only get a few days to fly.

Michael said:
So, for a $35 pollination fee, I could lose more than $100 in income.

Many Larger beekeepers A. & B. catagory need cash flow. Apple pollination
provides "cash flow" at a time of the year when little is going on. When
honey prices are low competition for many types of pollination increases for
A&B type beekeepers. When honey prices are up they are not as interested in
doing pollination.

The method of moving bees for pollination certainly enters in when
considering pollination fees. Moving bees is easy for us and quick. Several
beekeepers in our area still move hives into orchards by hand.
Only an opinion:
I hate to diagonsis a problem over the internet but suspect those hives
Michael was bringing into the orchards were picking up pollen which was
tainted with something sprayed by the grower before bloom or early bloom  at
least before the beehives were set in the apple orchard. Perhaps a herbacide
on ground cover.
Large orchard owners are always playing with sprays and different mixes of
treatments. If Michael had described his apple orchard bee population
problem, poor wintering of hives which had been used for apple pollination
to the list as a question I would have suggested digging out a sample of
apple pollen after the bees returned from the apple orchard and sending for
testing. Many times each of the chemicals the orchard owner used prior to
the bees entering the orchard might not hurt the bees but mixed together
they might have made a mix which might not kill the hive but cause the type
of low brood build up, low honey storage and poor wintering the next winter
as bees ALWAYS prefer fresh pollen to old stored pollen from my experience.
I may be way off base but those are my thoughts.

Michael said:
I no longer pollinate apples, and couldn't be happier.

I am glad you did not say never because  if the honey prices drop again to
below the cost of production apple pollination might again seem attractive
but perhaps out of reach if another beekeeper is doing the pollination. I
would never turn down such a large apple pollination in our area less than
10 miles from home (unless the grower was killing my bees through improper
spraying which is COMMON which many on the list will back me up on!).
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::