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Time To ConsiderROB KISS, Field SupervisorBeesBees are still one of the majorexpenses on the production budget.Getting the most of the dollarinvested in bees is huge. One way toprotect your investment is for you,as a grower, to make a concertedeffort to check and record objectiveobservations of bee activity aroundthe hive as soon as possible. Thetruth of the matter is that yourclose monitoring of hives starts assoon as they are spotted in the field.Check your bees often; checkthem early; check them atdifferent times and underdifferent weather conditions.You should see significant activityaround each hive on sunny orwarming days. The theory is thatbees fly at 55 degrees, and theydon’t particularly like overcastor windy conditions. However,recently we have recorded fairlygood bee flights at temperaturescloser to 50 degrees. Remember,it’s too late if you recognize aproblem or particularly weak hiveswell into bloom. We only havea small window of opportunityfor pollination — we can’t blowit. If you do see any hives thatlook questionable, be sure tocommunicate with your beekeeperASAP; it’s your crop; it’s yourmoney.The following is a fairly establishedreview of guidelines growersshould keep in mind during thepollinations season.• Disperse the hives: Placethem in the sunniest locationsavoiding shade where possible,with hive entrances facingsouth, never north because itTIME TO CONSIDERis cooler. In larger blocks, hivescan be grouped at 500- to 1200-foot intervals and also throughthe centers. In smaller blocks (40acres or less), hives can be placedalong the perimeters, providingsecurity is not a factor.• Timing: They should be in thefield at about popcorn of yourearliest blooming variety. Bloomsneaks up on us and placing themafter the primary variety is inearly bloom may be late.• Maintenance: The beekeeperis responsible for making surecolonies are disease free andhave healthy queens. Beekeepersshould replace weak colonies assoon as possible.• Monitor: DO NOT assumeyour beekeeper will, as a matterof practice, come and monitoryour hives daily. Be sure to checkthem, all of them, every day anddocument hives that are inactive.• Access: Beekeepers need to havehive placement sites that are fairlyeasy to get to. They should havethe right of entry to service thehives. Incidentally, it remainstheir responsibility to do so andthe good beekeepers generallytake that responsibility seriously.• Pesticide Protection: Besure to communicate with yourbeekeeper about any applicationyou may make during bloom.The guidelines regarding beetolerance is on the label and theCounty Ag Commissioner canalso assist in details regardingmaterials registered for almondsand their effect on the bees.• Rental fee: There are obviouslya number of factors that influencethis. Availability, the cost ofproduction, hive maintenanceand transportation all go into themix. Rental agreements with provisionsthat tie relative strength(frame count) to cost are becomingmore popular.• Payment schedule: Be sure todiscuss it and come to an agreementbefore placement. Termsmay include allowances forpoorly performing hives.42 Almond Facts NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2012