>
> [Bees in almonds] back
> bees with nosema issues, varroa mites tolerant to their treatments and
> small
> hive beetle were the most heard issues.
>

 However, just to set the record straight, all the parasites that you
mention did not originate in California--they were imported by out of state
beekeepers.

>
> Two beekeepers which have said their serious bee problems started when
> almond pollination changed their normal migration routes were the Adee's
> and
> Hackenberg.(personal conversation).
>

That's for sure--out of staters should keep their hives home!  If you can
convince them of that, you will be a hero to California beekeepers!

>
> I am surprised when you say California beekeepers have not seen the sort of
> collapse out of state beekeepers have seen.


Bob, some have had serious problems, but in general, CCD, as Jerry says, was
in poorly-fed out of state bees placed into holding yards.

>At least I have no verification that when out of state beeks

> left many California beekeepers girl friends and wives were missing kind of
> like the days of the Viking raids!


We try to keep our hives, and our gals, as far away from out of state
beekeepers as possible!  ; )

>
>
> You have wrote in your article 2011 will be the year most new groves will
> come on line. Not so?
>
Only about 20,000 acres.


> I have read the water issue has eased? Not so?
>
Has eased.  But when we get water, our bees also do better.  In general,
Calif beeks are reporting good bees this fall.


> >Due to the poor honey crops this year in the Midwest many beekeepers are
> reporting many hives needing feed and low concentrations of bees.
>

Thanks for this info, Bob.  I have not heard this from Calif beeks returning
from the Midwest.

>
> >If you need hives I know the availability of 20,000 strong singles. Like
> last year these hives are only for sale and not for rent into almonds.


This is the sort of market response to bee shortages that I'm talking about.
 I don't know what Horace's price is, but due to the weakening of the US
dollar vs the Australian, Aussie packages would have been quite expensive
this year.

>
> >Past almond pollination beekeeping history says instead of the above those
> growers will call the largest Midwest beekeepers begging for hives ( like
> last year!) and offer around $200 a hive for field run bees.


As you stated earlier, there is a difference in price paid by growers
desperate to get the two colony per acre requirement in order to get crop
insurance, and the price paid by growers merely needing pollination.  Last
year the growers played hardball and drove down prices offered, so bees
stayed home until a high enough price was offered.  Given a high enough
offered price, hives seem to come out of the woodwork.

The growers largely follow the bee supply of the previous season, rather
than truly investigate the current supply. Since last season bees came up
short at the last moment, growers are willing to offer more this year.

>
> > However the
> person with the hives sets the prices when the shortage sets in. Also
> willing to take a lower than the Paramount set price when the supply of
> hives exceeds demand.
>

There's a name for this phenomenon--it's called "the law of supply and
demand in a free market."

>
> >What does a *few* dollars of *bumped up the price slightly* amount to in
> the form a beekeeper raise. (few means three dollars?)
>

I can't remember if Paramount raised the base price by $5, but they did
raise the bonus price by $2.50 per frame (now $5 per frame), up to 4 frames
over 8-frame.  So potential $10 raise over last year's bonus.  Note that
price per frame in other grading systems runs about $17, so Paramount's
bonus is relatively low.

>
> >Control of a market is important and almond growers are trying.
>

But they  haven't been able to control each other, as they bid against each
other for bees.

Randy Oliver

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