Bees and Almonds -- Ive read some rabid comments about bees coming off the Almonds, so I felt I should add some balanced perspective. 1. Last year there were some significant acute poisonings in the immediate post-pollination phase (while bees were being gathered for shipment). This was attributed (likely correctly) to a fungicide-IGR tank mix. There was a total dearth of alternative nectar, and bees returned to the now spent almond flowers looking for any nectar. Off-orchard nectar would really help that issue. The fungicide-IGR was sprayed early and irresponsibly on certain tracts (the poisonings were localized), but the Calif drought played a role be eliminating fallow forage. 2. Bees are heavy and booming coming off the Almonds -- much of the selling is due to weight limits on the haul -- bees that came to the almonds at 450 count per truck, are heavy and can only be shipped out at 400. 3. The next major crop (NW Cherries) simply doesnt have the demand to absorb the Almond hives. Rather than lose weight and condition waiting for the mid-west to thaw out, it makes sense to liquidate. Remember, one can split the hives post-cherries, and come back up to full colony count and beyond without backhauling the extra hardware. Your net off the almonds and on the liquidation sale is about $300. The bees to make the split are already in the other hives, and most commercials are requeening anyway -- your only cost is the box (and you are selling off the old gear). 4. My guess is the current favorable diesel price will encorage more beeks to backhaul heavy hives, and numbers may spike this year. So to summarize, the toxic issue looks to be IGR-Fungicide which is labeled at post-petal fall. The condition of hives coming off the almond pollen/nectar is typically very nutritious and bees are better than on, say, Apples. Commercial management is predicated on trucking economics -- the commercials in the Almonds have much higher survival and much easier increase than, say, an Indiana sideliner who lost 38% of production colonies and 100% of his nucs last winter.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:20:57 +0000
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