Paul,
Your photos may show more flora than you have in California, but with 
all due respect, I didn't see anything that would make me want to place 
hives in the depicted areas (even for maintenance).  The butterflies may 
be doing fine, but what you show for bees would be the equivalent of 
leaving a thermos of diesel along the side of the road for a Semi.  If 
this is all they have to work with (even miles of it), it's no wonder 
the beekeepers in these regions can't make a go of it.

Dave Tharle
Ardmore, AB

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