Troubling Honey Bee Shortage in California

[Nick Noyes]

Opening the Canadian border would sure take the pressure off ND.

[Ian]

no kidding, I like things the way they are

[Honey-4-All]

Opening the Canadian border would sure take the pressure off ND.

Do you really think this will be a two way street if the northern border opens up? Doubt it. You must have more faith in our boys doing trade negotiations than I do. Come to think of it I have almost come to the conclusion for the first time in my life that swapping the dudes in Ottawa for the limp wristted mealy mouthed pansies representing us out of DC might not really be a fair trade for the Canadians.

[Ian]

ah, are you kidding? even if we painted all our hives Red and White before we sent them down, you still would be hard pressed to see any sitting in the groves. Like Nick said, it would just be more foraging territory for the US migratory beekeepers, our small time ops would get lost in the shuffle

But, our border stays shut for one reason, and one reason only, and that is to help keep guarantee your Mexican boarder stays shut.
Your big lobby US lobby groups would of had our boarder open years ago, if they really had the intention to do so

[EastSideBuzz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxPRHXgYVlk

http://www.invadecanada.us/

[Ian]

ha ha ah ha ha

>>We're letting Canada keep the North. It will from now on be known as the smaller version of Canada, "Canadi" <<
but thats where the oil is , and that is the part everyone is claiming on us, ha ha ha , guess we will be left floating a drift in the Hudson . . .

[jim lyon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxPRHXgYVlk

http://www.invadecanada.us/

Grab your pitchforks and head north everyone! It shouldn't take more than aboot (he he) a week to breach the beaver fortresses.

[EastSideBuzz]

And buy some shirts. They even have a store to get swag about invading Canada http://www.cafepress.com/invadecanada

[Ian]

how well do ya-merican's fight in snow shoes , . ?

[camero7]

Some of us use them pretty often lately

[Roland]

C'mon, the rednecks in Wisconsin have gun racks on their snowmobiles.

Crazy Roland

[wildbranch2007]

no need to use snow shoes, come to ny, the snowmobile trails connect on the Canadian border, from what I can see you can enter from Penn. and go almost due north, all we have to do is get some of the gun racks from Roland. Just not sure how many hives we can carry back on the return trip.

[wildbranch2007]

back to the shortage. here is a post on bee-l about the economics of feeding the hives for almond production.

http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/w...F=&S=&P=165743

Beekeepers that attempt to satisfy almond growers demand for strong bee
colonies are faced with a difficult choice: spend the necessary money to
produce such colonies, or rent weaker colonies at a reduced price. According
to UC Extension Apiculturist, Eric Mussen, “four frames of bees is the size a
Central Valley California colony is likely to be (if it survives) when it is not fed
extra syrup and protein during the year.” (Jan/Feb 2010 Newsletter, From the
UC Apiaries). Dr. Mussen estimates that beekeepers must spend $120/colony
to provide 4-frame colonies and $200 to $220/colony to provide 8 to 10
frame colonies (these cost figures are likely 10% higher for 2013 than they
were in 2010). A beekeeper is better off, probably far better off, renting a 4
to 6-frame colony for $150 than renting an 8 to 10-frame colony for $200.
Even with record almond pollination fees, building high bee populations that
continue to consume expensive feed during the winter (both before and after
almond bloom) does not make economic sense for many bee operations.
With varroa mites, viruses and diminished bee pasture taking an evermounting
toll on honey bees, today’s beekeeper feels fortunate if he can
cover operating expenses, let alone attain an ROI (a term foreign to many
beekeeping operations).

[jim lyon]

I would like to see a breakdown of those numbers that Dr. Mussen gave back in late 2009. Feed expenses have gone up considerably since then. Anyone know if he ever published any more specific information as to how he arrived at those figures?

[sqkcrk]

Things are so bad that I got a call from someone in CA looking for bees from me and my hives are in SC. And my friends who send bees to CA from SC did so weeks ago.

No, I did not send any. Even though $200.00 per colony is attractive.

[JRG13]

I think it's a balance. Hard to shake out and split those 4 framers. Costs seem high to me unless that includes labor, transport, etc... and not just feeding costs.

[wildbranch2007]

Costs seem high to me unless that includes labor, transport, etc... and not just feeding costs.

Dr. Mussen estimates that beekeepers must spend $120/colony
to provide 4-frame colonies and $200 to $220/colony to provide 8 to 10
frame colonies (these cost figures are likely 10% higher for 2013 than they
were in 2010). <--- my take on this was that normal costs for a normal hive(not in blue boxes) was the $120, so the extra $80 dollars was the feeding, and I would think you would include fuel, feed, time, and purchasing patties and hfcs. Now that may be high if you live in cali. but from out of state?

[manddhoney]

I was present at our Central Valley Beekeeping Association Meeting this last Thursday. It was mentioned that a beekeeper is advertising $210 for 8 frame average bees for 2014 Almond Pollination; another beekeeper is going to charge $185 for 2014 Almond Pollination.

These issues of 2013 will only continue into 2014 in my opinion due to "lack of rain", "lack of forage", increased almond plantings. Whether the price of Almonds is great or not, currently $3.50+ pound, we beekeepers must charge according to our cost per hive knowing that Almond Pollination is close to 90% of our income for the entire year.

[JRG13]

If almonds are 90% of your income according to dr. Mussen, ur losing money.