YouTube "almond pollination 2012"

[Keith Jarrett]

we would see big gut problems right about end of feb into march.

Had you fed them Nutra Bee sub we have a micro-flora builder in our sub, which would solve most gut problems.

[Ian]

even for 5 months in confinement ?

[Ian]

there are some guys here that will take the bees out of the shed early march on a nice day, feed them patties, and wrap them up or send them back in for a month. Their bees look good by May.

[Keith Jarrett]

I'll let you know how the boys up in peace river come out.

[Ian]

So what I can gather, the bees are taken out of winter, sent into the almond groves, where they are fed up and placed into the flowering fields. One brood cycle, two brood cycles, and then out to be split. So by the time they start swarming on the second brood cycle the boys should be splitting them by then.

[Ian]

I'll let you know how the boys up in peace river come out.

yes, I would like that. They winter a bit shorter than here though, but all along the same lines of thought.
I dont understand how fall time sub feeding would benefit us though, we need it late winter early spring for the brood.

[JD's Bees]

Ian most hives are moved into the wintering sheds about now and taken out some time in April.

[Ian]

same as us then.

how do you manage your late winter Chinooks ? gets pretty warm your way

[JD's Bees]

Some will take the bees out for cleansing flights and a quick check on stores. I've heard of some people putting drums of snow or ice into the sheds to help cool things down but don't know for sure.
Pollen sub in fall could help fatten up the winter bees and increase the overall health of the hive. As far as having sub on all winter though I just can't see that, too much chance for dysentry I think.

[Nick Noyes]

We start sub end of aug. until mid oct. Go into storage about thanksgiving and start shipping to california jan. 20th. Start making nucs, shaking, pulling brood about march 10th. Bees swarm from 1st of march on, but the almond growers don't seem to complain about it.

[Ian]

when do you pull them out of the almond groves?

[Keith Jarrett]

March 10-15th on.

[Ian]

Do they stay in holding yards in Cali or are they sent straight south and then worked through ?

[RAK]

Feed Bees sub August-Thansgiving. Loaded up and sent to Yards late nov early dec. Given more sub until flowers pop out. Nick... Why winter in cellars? They will come out of winter with easy 15 frames in Jan w/o any cellars.

[Keith Jarrett]

Why winter in cellars? They will come out of winter with easy 15 frames in Jan w/o any cellars.

15 frame avg... easy..... Jan.....

RAK, that is a nice avg for Jan, if your bees avg that, WELL DONE SIR.

[Ian]

Do the pollinator grower count frames of brood to determine strength or do they count frames of bees

[jim lyon]

Only beekeepers are worried about brood. growers just want bees.

[Ian]

that would make hive assessments very quick!

[Almondralf]

Unfortunately there is still a lot of growers out there who only count Hive-boxes !

[RAK]

15 frame avg... easy..... Jan.....

RAK, that is a nice avg for Jan, if your bees avg that, WELL DONE SIR.

Requeening and pollen sub.

Keith, You know this better than I. The only drawback is that I have trouble keeping those young queens up to date on the syrup. I would say that if bees are at 12 frames then you are very good.