Can someone explain this picture?

[Belewsboy]

I took a picture of a page from a magazine article talking about the almond crop and honey bees...but I gotta ask, why are these bees being dumped into a container?
Thanx
IMG_0557.jpg

[bamindy]

Looks like he is making packages but I don't know why they would be doing that during almond pollination.

[Riskybizz]

Its after almond pollination

[dadandsonsbees]

Yep,,, That's making packages.

[JRG13]

Some guys shake before almonds to sell bulk bees, not just packages. Their bees come out of winter that strong they shake them to head off swarming during bloom and make a pretty penny doing it.

[dback]

Its after almond pollination

I would disagree.......looks to be about 20%-30% bloom......there is absolutely no petal drop and zero green in the trees. I'm not sure how that works with the growers but if I were a grower, I'd want the bees to stay put but what do I know.

[Keith Jarrett]

This is about the first week in March, these are being shook for filling the first round of mating nucs, you put a 1/4 lb of bees with a cell, lock them up in a dark cool room for two days by that time the cell has hatched take them out early in the morning an cross your fingers for good mating weather.

[MichaBees]

Keith, do you provide them with food or fondant or? during those two days?

[dback]

Sure would like to see a video of this whole process!!!!!

[Beeslave]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a83c...e_gdata_player

[David LaFerney]

Now that's a system there.

[dback]

OK.....I like that one but I was looking more towards the stocking of mating nucs process. I don't use bulk bees to stock mine and have never seen it done that way.