# Bees plugged out in the almonds



## red (Jan 15, 2013)

My bees just came off of manzinita two weeks ago. The orchard next to me was starting when I put in the bees. The orchard I am in is just opening up . My boxes are plugged out. My plan is to take down boxes of drawn comb tomorrow and sandwich them between the upper and lower box. Would you do something different or will this take care of my problem?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

The way the weather has been you are on the right track. 

They will need the room. 

In the process of checking breeders yesterday I came across more than one with white caps on 6 or 7 frames in our triples and quads. As we drove down the road I passed by two beeks )just south of Arbuckle ) who were dumping syrup on some Washington Hives that were roaring. I was thinking to myself.....If there was ever a year to put the hose away this is it. That might not be a smart move guys! I would not be surprised if hives gained a few pounds just yesterday alone. 

When I was about to toss an inspected frame back into the center of a bottom I tapped the edge of the frame to get the bees off so they did not get rolled on the reinsert. The shake was so strong that the bees below looked like someone had dumped a gallon of syrup right on top of them. 

Queen cups being built by the dozens in every hive with 8 or more frames of bees. 

Yesterday has to be in the top 10 nectar flow days in the almonds in 30 years. Today looks like it will be right on track.


I never recommend truing to draw comb in the Almonds. For today I'm retracting that statement as the bees were flying as hard as I have seen even on a massive sage flow....


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Oh wow. Sounds nice. I am glad for you, the bees, the farmers, your banker in that order. The only downside is all the extra work it creates in keeping them out of the trees. Looks like shake shake shake time will be coming up soon enough.

Jean-Marc


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

I just got a call confirming all the above. And to think I was going to haul some syrup down Monday lol.I was advised bees are plugging out with pollen and one guys hives were starting to throw swarms, as they had come off the early manzanita ready to rock and roll. Looks like it will be the earliest removal from the orchards in my memory.Gonna be a great spring and a long HOT summer, I think.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Yeah it's interesting, some orchards full bloom some are still trying to figure it out, but I suppose it's varietal. I guess I should toss a few swarm traps out at work since there's an orchard across from us and down the road. I found some of my hives ready for new boxes as well, not expected the second week in February but luckily since I treat late, most have plenty of room to expand. I was thinking about early splits, but did not see too many drones in Woodland which is interesting since I know in Elk Grove I have drones and drone brood already. Honey-4-All, do you attribute the nectar due to the recent rain and now it's shorts and T-shirt weather?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Brought "the BOSS" along yesterday. Did not have the heart to tell her that even after 20 plus years of marriage she still cant hold a hive tool correctly!.. Unless you think it does look like a good way to hold it for a toss my way.

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Ohh, please don't tell her. She's so happy the way it is now. So proud of it too!

Yep, the blossoms are in full swing right now. Thanks to recent rains providing us
with a good harvest and some water to fill up the reservoir. Too many happy bees!


Almonds in full swing now:


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## McCoslin (Dec 4, 2013)

Honey-4-All said:


> Brought "the BOSS" along yesterday. Did not have the heart to tell her that even after 20 plus years of marriage she still cant hold a hive tool correctly!.. Unless you think it does look like a good way to hold it for a toss my way.
> 
> Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!


God Bless you Phil!


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## Heintz88 (Feb 26, 2012)

Good thing our bees leaving Florida were knocked down to two-3 frames of honey I guess.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Honey-4-All;1219779 she still cant hold a hive tool correctly!.. Unless you think it does look like a good way to hold it for a toss my way.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE said:


> That's what I'm think en Phil, I'm think en Jackie barken orders and if you boys don't get with it she going to do it herself.
> I can say this she sure likes Chinese food.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

I have been pollinating for the same grower for 11 years in Butte and Glenn county.
Every year I watch carefully for the first bloom that I see and note the date.
Last year was the earliest; February 9th.
This year, our orchard in Butte county was at 80% bloom on the 11th of Feb!!!!!!
I can't tell you when the first bloom popped because there was probably 5% bloom when I arrived!
FLASH BLOOM!
I expect the bees back in Oregon prior to the end of the month.
Weird year!


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

First varieties are on the decline.. The "wrap up" varieties like Buttes will be at 100% in two or three days. Harry is correct that the end of the month will not be many days off target for wrap in some fields in the north.

Not sure how the "set" is yet as the first nutlets are just appearing. If the blooms in my area is any early indication the flower count on the NonPariels might be a prediction of a short year on that variety count wise... Who knows about size at this point????

If anyone ever wanted to order a perfect bloom for both bees and trees this year is it........ Cranking!!!!!!


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

Can someone please explain, for a beginner, the term "plugged out in the almonds"? It sounds good.


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

It means the bees have filled all available comb with honey and pollen and brood. They will now swarm to relieve crowding or the beekeeper will get some supers on them and deal with the swarm cells already present.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Tim KS said:


> Can someone please explain, for a beginner, the term "plugged out in the almonds"? It sounds good.


hive filled with nectar and pollen and bees. they need more room, one way or the other. it's good if you can keep them in the boxes instead of the trees.

what Vance said.
sorry Vance- I have got to learn how to type faster.


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## red (Jan 15, 2013)

All the frames in the hive are full of pollen and honey with very little room for the queen to lay. For all the people wanting to be a commercial beek this is another good lesson in bee keeping to keep in your note book.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Vance G said:


> It means the bees have filled all available comb with honey and pollen and brood. They will now swarm to relieve crowding or the beekeeper will get some supers on them and deal with the swarm cells already present.


FYI the likelihood of anyone dragging around supers to toss on during the remaining time in the almonds is almost 0. 

Will some do it? Possibly! Might it be prudent? Yes

To much hassle dealing with all the extra boxes and especially uneven stacks going back home so most won't. 

Its all a fine line between screwing up the bees and screwing up ones move out...

I'm sure the there will be many boxes taking a different truck home than the one that shows up to take their "cousins" home.

Overweight tickets will be the order of the day if they don't.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Honey-4-All said:


> FYI the likelihood of anyone dragging around supers to toss on during the remaining time in the almonds is almost 0.
> 
> Will some do it? Possibly! Might it be prudent? Yes
> 
> ...


 it become swarm central then?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

clyderoad said:


> it become swarm central then?


At this point I would say NO!.

Last week they were starting to build quite a few cups. As of today the number did not seem to be dramatically different. No explosion of filled queens cells at his point. 

Had the Beeinformed team here today doing "brood freeze" for hygienic tests! Tomorrow we will tear into them a little farther to check the removal rate and grade the bees ( FOB, Brood Patterns, Mite and Nosema Samples, Weights, etc.) We will see if the cell building is on a tear or not.

One other note that should be a deciding factor. The drone count really is not yet exceedingly high right so my first inclination is to say they will probably wait a few more weeks even with the big flow on both the pollen and nectar fronts.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

it would be good if they stayed in the boxes like you say.
I sure wouldn't want to leave all that money on the table (in the trees).
Report back if you will.

I've got to see this almond circus someday, sure is nothing like my fruit tree and berry pollination gig.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b278/loggermike/004_zpsfb7be6fc.jpg


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

My my, that is a fine looking hive. Phil those Beeinformed people will be all excited about the removal rate. Bees are much more hygienic on strong flows. That is why it is recommended to do the hygienic tests several times throughout the year assuming that flows will be of various strength or even non existent.

Jean-Marc


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

jean-marc said:


> even non existent.


Yeah, that's what we have here.lol


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Pulled some boxes apart yesterday and several had larvae in swarm cups. Will be shaking soon.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Saw some plugged out hives today..... pretty impressive.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Talked with another beekeeper this evening who said he has bees being released out of the almonds in northern California this Friday evening the 20th of February. He was totally amazed and I'm about ten steps ahead of him on that one. 

Where is the button for the heads a spinning icon? 

For those who read this post in a thousand years when doing research about California Almond pollination in the 21st century they will probably be hard pressed to find anything close to a "record" like this in any intervening time period.


Supers going on a few hives tomorrow......... As JRG13 will attest there are hives which have so little space in 3 deeps ( some with 4) that the lids will be blowing off all the way to Mars very soon if this doesnt stop.

Wish I had a hive scale with auto posts online because you folks would not believe whats going on with the bees in the almonds. I have seen junky 5 framers jam nectar in 3 to 4 frames above them in one week alone.

In some instances the holes created by the bees bring out the dead on the Hygienic test from yesterday had the cells filled back up with nectar in 24 after being frozen...

Maybe next year it will rain the whole time and we will wish for the good old days!


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

So, who's hives did a better job this year pollinating almonds?
Did the beekeepers that signed an 8 frame average contract and delivered just that do well?
Or, did the guys that delivered double deeps stuffed with 26 frames worth of bees and great big honking bee beards, that signed 8 frame averages do well?
Who did better in pollination and better in the end for the beekeeper as well?
ANSWER: Hives delivered into almonds in 2015 STUFFED with bees and great big bee beards provided very little pollination for the grower and returned swarmed out duds to the beekeeper.
Conversely, hives delivered into almonds in 2015 that had room to grow, expressed excellent pollination and returned premium hives back to the beekeeper for divides.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Good post Harry, seeing some of the grading at time of placement and where the hives were now was impressive. The bees definitely needed room to grow quick because they did.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

HarryVanderpool said:


> the guys that delivered double deeps stuffed with 26 frames worth of bees
> .


yep... 26 frames in a double deep. lol... fisherman don't have anything on us keepers.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

My dad told me a million times not to exaggerate.
Anyway, hives grew, look good overall, and now need split! Any excess honey and pollen will soon be gone....


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Hmmmmm. Not at all the reports I have received from points west and south.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

jim lyon said:


> Hmmmmm. Not at all the reports I have received from points west and south.


Down south does seem to be a different story from what I've heard. At least a week behind. Less rain in the ground and certainly more fog than has been up north till today. We have not been back to see our three loads of "Texas" bees ( on the west side) since the 7th so I can not confirm.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Thanks for invited me out Phil, it was a great time!


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