Hello Randy & All,

> There is currently a shortage of bees for almonds, despite what many
> thought
> was a glut a few weeks ago.

I have heard of a shortage for weeks. However prices offered have been low
ball until this week.
Old prices were $115  for 5 frame average and $135  for 8 frame average
 from two different almond growers needing bees..

New pricing is $145 and expected to peak at around $160 over next two weeks.
Relaxed frame average but no pay for deadouts or obvious dinks.

> Less than two weeks to go until bloom, and hives are currently being
> placed.

The weather and getting trucks is a big problem with many Midwest beeks. My
*new* partner managed to get feed on some hives last week but still lighter
than we like to ship. Pallets are frozen to ground in areas so the bottom
boards will pull off when lifted off ice. Snow is predicted for today and
Monday and then below zero temps for our area.

We have loaded in such weather as shown in my article in ABJ."Loading Hives
in a Missouri Snowstorm" ( April 2004) but we had days to prepare for the
worst and the worst happened. a foot of snow the day we loaded and the semi
unable to climb the road out of the rock quarry.

I thought as only six inches of snow was predicted I would document the
loading. By noon with a Bobcat with a bucket working hard to clear the area
while the swinger was loading and a crew of five working hard to load &
sweep snow off semi I quickly realized this snowstorm was a monster and had
never been *documented* in a bee mag before or since.

I actually did a similar loading in a remote Kansas town with a semi load 
bound for almonds since then.
 although I took pictures we loaded at night in a weather dept. confirmed 
Kansas blizzard
and the pictures were very dark so did not do the article.

With me only arriving home and terrible weather predicted and not all hives
ready for a move I doubt I will send hives this late but as higher fees are
offered and direct placement into blooming almonds is offered the situation
might change.

other considerations is small hive beetle and weed issues at the border.
When we know we are sending all good  hives we lift and blow off pallets and
place on plastic. on a nice day weeks before shipping.

 These pallets are frozen down which means some dirt and weeds will be
attached to the pallets when inspected at the bug station.

bob

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