With pollination season around the corner, growers are wondering once again what bloom will bring.  Successful pollination of almonds is highly dependent on weather and on bee supply. 

For latest in weather predictions, visit the Climate Prediction Center’s Advisory at www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.pdf.  It appears that a moderate strength El Niño will peak during winter 2009-2010 and last through March-May 2010.  The potential for above-average precipitation in California exists. 

Optimum weather for bees might be enough rain and cold to keep them from foraging too actively right up to almond bloom, then sun and 55+ degree temperatures right at bloom.   Unfortunately these conditions aren’t under our control.  And there is some disagreement on the strength of the El Niño and just how long it will last.  If we could guarantee great weather, perhaps even one hive per acre would be suitable.  But the norm of 2 or even 2 ½ hives per acre provides the grower with better insurance in case of uncooperative weather. 

What factors can growers control?  Growers can rent good bees from a reputable beekeeper and inspect those bees to make sure they are strong colonies.  A strong colony for almond season will have 8 frames of bees with those frames covered 75% by bees.  If colonies are coming in at less than 6 frames of bees they should be discounted from the going hive rental rate.  Growers who receive colonies having over 8 frames of bees might consider giving the beekeeper a bonus – it’s not easy to bring in > 8 frame colonies into the early almond pollination season.  Beekeepers providing colonies with > 8 frames of bees have made a substantial investment in their colonies –very closely monitoring pests and diseases and no doubt have spent quite a bit feeding their bees supplemental feed. 

In fact, at the recent California State Beekeepers Association (CSBA) annual meeting, Dr. Eric Mussen, extension apiculturist for UCD, enumerated those financial inputs.  To offer 6-frame colonies, a beekeeper’s investment is $120 - $140 per colony.  To offer 8-frame colonies, their investment is $160 - $200 per year.  For colonies over 8 frames, beekeeper inputs are $200-$220 per year.  Thus, a beekeeper with strong colonies who perhaps used to nearly recover expenses with almonds, and then make a little money pollinating other crops and selling honey, will now pollinate almonds plus other crops before the break- even point.  Armed with this information, it’s important a grower inquires about a beekeeper’s use of feed and pest control measures and inspects colonies under contract.  Be skeptical of cheap bees.

The word at the CSBA meeting is that there are colonies crashing, mainly due to varroa.  More so than last season.  There are also once again unexplained bee losses this past summer and early fall attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD.  And still, scientists haven’t quite figured out the combination of factors that lead to CCD.  What we don’t want are weak bees in the summer and fall, which aren’t able to build brood and nurture baby bees.  Old bees over-wintering are even older come February.  Once they start flying, their clock is ticking and they may perish during almond pollination without replacements ready to work the blossoms.  Younger bees and a healthy overlap in generations is the target for optimum almond pollination. 

At the time of this writing (mid-November) colony rentals are running about $10 less than last year.  As has been typical the last few years, there will be last minute speculation right up to the time you need bees in your orchard.  This is not recommended.  You want to make sure you’ve got your bees and you are getting them from a beekeeper you trust.   You don’t want to rent empty white boxes.

Project Apis m (PAm) has just received their second California Dept. of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant.  The focus of this grant is to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs) for honey bees pollinating crops, with particular emphasis on the early almond pollination requirement.  This grant will help PAm build beekeeper – grower trust by developing and disseminating valuable guidelines for insuring strong bees for almond grower contracts.  

Chris Heintz is Executive Director for Project Apis m. a non-profit bee research organization.  Should you have questions about bees, they can be answered via this column for the benefit of other Blue Diamond almond growers.   Submit your questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .