I don't understand why you continue to suggest that
> California beekeepers are ignorant fools.  If it is due to my postings,
> then
> I apologize to all Calif beekeepers for misleading the List.

I never used the word ignorant or fools.

I guess I would have better said that I have never heard the fact about
wings discussed. I have heard plenty about "field bees" and little about all
those little beetles in those bulk bees.

> And your suggestion is?

Most growers which hire pollination can tell by the entrance when the bloom
is on and the activity on the flowers if they are getting their moneys
worth.

*if* almond growers pay by the frame of bees why do they stop paying at a
certain number of frames?
Never could figure out why?

> The old bees are generally covering frames of brood, which will soon
> emerge
> and replace them.  The Midwestern "winter bees" immediately start rearing
> brood, and then the population of foragers crashes temporarily as they
> suddenly age, generally mid bloom.  Then those colonies surge ahead of the
> valley-wintered bees.  So the amount of pollinating foragers depends upon
> which portion of the bloom you measure them in.

In the Midwest we have brought bees into pollinations when there is hardly
any flight at the entrance in the "other" beekeepers bees. One case involved
450 hives from Texas brought into apples. The grower called to evaluate the
other beekeepers hives. The hives had nine frames of brood with bees but the
weather was cool and the bees would not leave the brood. Glenn Davis and I
scratched our heads and decided the problem was the brood.

To sum up :
Cool weather pollinations like almonds, apples (to name a couple) need hives
which hit the air and pollinate. Lots of brood can be a hindrance at times.
In apples all the grower cares about is the "king bloom". The bloom time is
fairly short and the bees need to be on the flowers and not in the hive
keeping brood warm.

> I often notice that the colonies in one operation will be flying full
> force
> in cool weather that keeps neighboring bees indoors.

Glad you noticed. Growers notice also.

> Although colony health absolutely affects the amount of foraging
> (virus-laden colonies cannot muster a field force--see my Fat Bees 2
> article), breeding for working in cool weather can make a huge difference.

The amount of brood effects the above most. A package without brood does the
most flight at first then the situation goes like Randy posted. California
almond pollination is done rather primitive as compared to many other
pollinations. *most* pollinations the bees are in and out fast. a week
longest at times ( but not always).

If California almonds was carefully planned beekeepers could rent their bees
twice during almonds. Once in the south and once in the north. leaving the
bees in the almonds for weeks on end is the lazy way of doing things.


>
> Another thing that greatly affects cool-weather foraging is the location
> of
> the cluster.  If the cluster is in the top box of a double, they tend not
> to
> fly in cool weather, unless they have a top entrance.  The foragers appear
> to be loathe to break cluster and work their way down through the cool
> empty
> combs below in order to reach the hive entrance.

Randy we are all on here to learn from each other and share information.
Think about what I have said.
Its about the brood to bee ratio. Placement in almonds at times has always
made me laugh. Placing bees on the north side of the orchard and in the
shade was never smart but the grower always said was the way his Pappy did
it. Poor pollination and ending up with mold on frames in the hive at times.

> Maybe to find out answers?  So that one can make decisions based upon
> fact,
> rather than conjecture?

Or maybe to show the Australian package bees are not worth the top almond
pollination fees? The first import which I was involved with caught
beekeepers eyes as the almond growers paid the price we paid for the
packages and the growers were very happy with those packages. My idea saved
the almond contract and filled boxes with bees at no cost to the beekeeper.

If you had the time I could tell you countless stories where hives were
purchased for less than the pollination fee and the beekeeper  made money
plus had the bees and equipment after the pollination for free!

>>Some of the best out of state bees come from Texas.

Texas is bee country. having wintered bees in California, Texas and Florida
I think Texas is best for a number of reasons.

Florida has improved over the years because of Brazilian pepper but before
the pepper I often wondered the Florida attraction ( other than working on
your tan  ).

  Your observations
> have long been well-discussed by California beekeepers.

 I have tried to shake the "outlaw" image. maybe I should start singing in
the church choir or write a children's book to improve my image.

 bob

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