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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
"Stromgren, Eric" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 28 Jan 2015 16:28:56 +0000
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>Even assuming the identified risks have been adequately mitigated, from a quality perspective do you really want package bees from the US?  

>My own experience last year, when I resorted to restocking with several packages of bees (my apiary was taken out by a buck deer that ran into my mesh electric fence and knocked down all my hives, as reported here), echoed Mike's observations (i.e. poor quality queens resulting in queenless colonies from half the packages within a month).  

>Given the US package bee industry appears to be hard-pressed to meet even the demand in the US, will it do any better, when Canadian orders start coming in?  I'm thinking there will be an increase in price concurrent with a further decline in quality.  Yet another reason I am focused on maintaining my own stock.



I don’t speak for all (or even many), but of the beekeepers I regularly talk to, most do not desire to go back to strict package bee operations (although some might, given opportunity). Their, and my, desire for access to package bees from California stems from the cost of replacing livestock after major losses. As prices of 1 kg packages from NZ near $200 CAD, it becomes unfeasible to replace livestock in the unfortunate event of a loss of 50-90% of your colonies. 

There is also the matter of how a new beekeeper might get into the industry - with domestic livestock in relatively short supply, it is difficult for a new beekeeper (i.e. most of my students) to finance the cost of NZ package bees to start an operation - especially given their poor performance relative to overwintered colonies, or nucs. 

Few believe that California packages are a miracle solution to all of our problems, but the frustration of replacing livestock by purchasing expensive packages, or splitting your own colonies, weighs heavily on many, and it is understandable that they seek some, any, other option.



Cheers







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