Why sell bees after pollination?

[Broke-T]

I have noticed a lot of beeks have bees for sale comming out of the almond groves or other pollination sites? Why would they want to sell them?

If they plan to stay in business won't they need them the next year?

If I understand right the bees are often week comming out of the groves. Is this because there are more bees per acre than the land will support? If so would they be ok if moved onto better foraging conditions?

Johnny

[high rate of speed]

Bees are like ex's after almonds,a liability factor more going out than coming in.

[RayMarler]

they are last years bees, so make a bunch for almonds, then make that much more again for sale, with no worries or expenses about feeding or treating thru the year. makes good business sense, as can have newer equipment and fresh bees that didn't go to almonds to build up for the next season.

[Tom G. Laury]

Or what if you've had back surgery, knee surgery, strokes and stress. What if you wanted to spend your summer in Scandinavia taking saunas and catching northern pikes at the summer house. I mean while there is still something left on the tape measure.

[alpha6]

So Tom this year its Scandinavia? Wasn't it Greece last year or was that the year before?

Broke...Bees are stronger coming out of Almonds not weaker. Usually require splitting right away. It works for us in that by the time they get here we can spit, feed and get um staged so that in late April early May they are built up and ready for the first blooms. I just do Almonds to help out those poor Calf. guys that can't get enough bees together and are always depending on the blokes from down under to bail them out.

[jean-marc]

To keep it simple, for fun and profit. I don't pollinate almonds. wish I could.

Jean-Marc

[metzelplex]

we sell the bees for the money after we fill up all the boxes that did'nt make it thru the winter