Did the Pollination Bees Survive the Tough Times in California?

[@brucesbees]

Hey everybody I set up that Premiere and then missed it🤦🏻‍♂️ Oh well. Thanks so much for watching! Please forgive me. I really wanted to hear what you had to say. What do y’all think about these bees. Stressed but hopefully they will be ok. 🐝😎

[@WildwoodsBeekeeping]

Glad to see the pollination bees back Bruce, Bees Looking fairly Good, Thanks for sharing with us Bruce 👍

[@TennesseeTim38451]

Looking great my friend!!!

[@brucesbees]

Thanks for checking in Tim

[@628DirtRooster]

Hey Bruce how long have you been using Strong Microbials? Good video.

[@brucesbees]

Just bought some at Hive Life for the first tule this year. Makes sense to me that it will help though not sure how to objectively tell.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

You did better than some I’ve talked to when their bees came back. Thanks Bruce!

[@brucesbees]

Yeah. Rough year. Hopefully they will turn into strong colonies and make some honey!

[@Peter_Gunn]

The work you been putting into your videos is really paying off. They are looking great, the bees look good too. Thanks for sharing.

[@brucesbees]

Man I’m trying. You don’t know how much this means to me. Still have a ways to go. Just gotta keep getting better. Thanks for the kind words and for the support !

[@drholingue]

Bruce, Thank you for does these videos of your adventures with bees. Yes, they look understandably stressed but you have done a great job with bringing colonies back so I am sure that is what you will do with these. I look forward to seeing what happens! A good one with that swarm!!

[@brucesbees]

Hey thanks for the words of encouragement. Will see what happens!

[@TheCaliforniaBeekeeper]

Good stuff Bruce sorry you had to go through that out here in California

[@brucesbees]

Yeah man it was a rough one. Not sure I’ll come back.

[@richardpraeger6357]

Glad to see the bees made it back.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah they did but it was a rough year for them.

[@dcsblessedbees]

Not looking to bad for all the hammering the pollinators took in CA this year. Ty for sharing Bruce.

[@brucesbees]

#truth. Just glad they are back. 🐝😎

[@BrownAndDaughters]

I'm sorry if this has been answered already, but would you mind going into detail as to what happened in Cali and why? Thanks, Conner.

[@brucesbees]

The weather was not good this year. Lots of rain and cold. Muddy. Had a hard time getting them out of the orchards. Mother Nature just did not cooperate. We had some other issues too that I cannot discuss. Tough year for sure. Our bees were in Northern California. Not sure if those in the Central Valley had the same problems.

[@KajunHomestead]

Hey Bruce , hear in central Louisiana we are struggling with nectar flow , that late frost put a hurting on all flowering trees and shrubs like the privet , most of my big colonies are very low on stores and small one I'm having to feed. It's crazy , usually at this time they are needing room and trying to swarm , But not this year, hope we get some type of flow, good luck.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah it has been a strange year here too. Fortunately our tallow seems to be intact but it way early. Have no idea what we are going to end up with. Best of luck to you over there.

[@harrisjoubertwithsleepycre1924]

mine came back really hungry. they had stopped brooding from lack of food. I gave them the same pro biotic, I put mine in a jar with holes in the lid, and just shake some on. they ate it in 24 hrs. put pollen and honey frames on, some ate the whole patty in 7 days. now they are growing like mad. sometimes we have to do things to the bees that are hard on them so we can aford to take care of them later

[@brucesbees]

Yep. Hopefully mine will respond well. I haven’t fed them because I think we have a flow starting but not as strong as I had hoped. Might have to go ahead and put some food out for them.

[@wadebarnes6720]

I seen on wanted to be things where he was saying people took the honey off the boxes and some Queens

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

I have occasionally slipped an over ripe banana on top of the colonies and they devoured it. I guess that it was high in sugars and minerals.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah if they consume it then it must have some nutritional value. That’s interesting.

[@tarheelbeekeeper3971]

Hey Bruce another good video, looks like your bees fair ok , we hope for more, but could always be worse keeping Doing what you do

[@brucesbees]

Absolutely. I am grateful they are doing as well as they are.

[@brucesouthernsassapiaries8316]

The weather out in California certainly wasn't helpful for bees sent out there this year. Thanks for the video Bruce!

[@brucesbees]

Yes. Somewhat of a nightmare. Glad they returned as strong as they did.

[@bradgoliphant]

Strong microbials is the bomb! I swear by it. Thing is it’s imperative to make sure the bag is completely sealed after every use. Humidity activates it. Great stuff though.

[@brucesbees]

Good to know.

[@framcesmoore]

Ha Bruce enjoyed the video, several questions if u do not mind. when u send your hives to California how long do they stay, 2 are they supered for the nectar from the almonds does anyone take care of them for swarming and things like that. Does the medicine that u are giving them is it real do u see a difference lots of meds that are to help the bees is just a waste of money and is very costly? hope your bees do good have a blessed day!

[@brucesbees]

They left end of January and hit back April 15 Yes they put some honey in them for the almonds but it is not good. And the bees went through most of it this year As far as I know no one takes care of them out there. You just have to hope they are strong enough when they leave to survive the trip and do a good job for the farmers. I think the Probiotics are good but am only starting to try them out. Don’t have any objective results to share as far as whether or not they help. As stressed as these bees were I think anything to help relieve that stress would be good. As far as mite treatments they absolutely work and are important in my opinion for healthy bees. I agree there are some mite resistant bees out there but I have started testing and trying different things. I think the treatments are important or wouldn’t spend the money. Some are costly and some are cheap. Stay tuned…

[@framcesmoore]

@@brucesbees I always treat and I use the same as you I am geting my formic pro today I am treating mine in june when I pull the suppers I like the formic pro and the mite away I think I like the mite away better just because it is 7 day but not to many places sale it in 30 doses. but I like the formic because of the 2 year dates. Bruce I dont know about mite resistent queens I just dont think they are out there. It is a shame no one takes care of the hives while they are out there for you, that would be pretty cool job to have. any way I hope you and your bees do good and have a great weekend. Keep the videos coming I enjoy every oneof them have a blessed week.

[@brucesbees]

Hey thanks for checking in. It will all work out ok. Some large outfits spend time there caring for there bees and I’m sure things vary from one situation to the next.

[@johnshumate9713]

you were only missing two frames out of one box! I was missing all ten out of one box and bees were in terrible shape. The shipper said it was a really bad year in the almonds with all of the moisture but still no idea where the frames went to out of that marked box. Great video though i really enjoy your content.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah I don’t know either. It was an awful year for sure. May not be going back.

[@GeorgeCMcRae]

The pollination business out here in Nor Cal is so exploitive. You're fortunate to have gotten them back in as good shape as you did. April lows at the beginning of April were in the 20's in Butte county central valley, so what ever honey they were putting away they were eating.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah I figured as much. Good possibility I won’t be going back.

[@GeorgeCMcRae]

We drove around occasionally, and so many orchards were under water with the pallets of hives on raised banks. This was a really c9ld and wet winter. Off the charts. It's just impossible to know when you commit to pollination in the autumn, what's ahead. Came out of years of record drought to a year of historical rain.

[@brucesbees]

Yes overall probably good for the state. Reservoirs filled. Water supply back. Good news for the most part. It’s just a lot of work to get the bees ready and then basically not get paid for the work you put in. We are getting a fraction of what we have gotten in the past. Might be best just to keep them home and healthy, make bees and honey, and have better control of things.

[@gene-sloca]

Looks like they survived..

[@brucesbees]

Many did. Some did not. Did you watch the video?

[@beeamazzzinghives]

Bruce, End of week one as a beekeeper. 5 frame nuc installed in 10 frame box. Feeding 1-1 They drew out 2 1/2 frames of new foundation and the queen filled one half/side with eggs already. How long should I keep feeding? Up here in western Pennsylvania. I installed a second nuc yesterday.

[@brucesbees]

You can keep feeding them as long as they take it. Will help them draw out that foundation more quickly. And comb is like gold. If they stop taking it that probably means there is a flow. Also shouldn’t feed if they are making honey that you want to utilize. Otherwise go for it. Especially to get them built up.

[@brucesbees]

Sounds like they are doing great!

[@beeamazzzinghives]

@@brucesbees Thanks for the advice! Learning a lot from watching.

[@brucesbees]

Glad you enjoy the channel.

[@clyderoden2681]

Did they change the law on using Alabama bees for pollination?

[@brucesbees]

No. The state inspector comes and inspects them before they leave and when they get home to check health of the bees. There is an exception in the law for pollination if the proper process takes place , inspections etc.

[@gene-sloca]

What is the difference between Pollination Bees compared to Foilager Bees?

[@brucesbees]

These bees have been in California pollinating almonds. Now they are back home here in Alabama.

[@Goochieman]

Where do you buy your boxes from?

[@brucesbees]

I have bought them from many sources. Mostly Mann Lake I would say.

[@stevenmccrary1432]

how long do your hives stay in california before you ship them home?

[@brucesbees]

They are typically there for a couple of months but it varies a bit depending on the year.

[@christianbuzila6997]

Any almonds honey for sale???

[@brucesbees]

No I don’t harvest the almond honey.

[@jimallen1176]

Most of your hives look good, except for being light on weight. I would be a little hot about them coming back a month late. Same thing happened to my bees several years ago. I found out they put them on cherry tree pollination & got all the money, right after almonds.

[@brucesbees]

We really had a bad experience with the whole deal this year. Don’t think I will go back. At least not in the the near future. But we will see.

[@tysonwashburn7510]

All my colonies in utah died...😢

[@brucesbees]

Oh no I hate to hear that. I hope you will try again.

[@randyneese7902]

Do you ever have to worry about them becoming Africanized by being in California?

[@brucesbees]

No. that has never been an issue. You get the same colonies back that you send.

[@randyneese7902]

Yea but didn’t know if they ever swarm and requeen with a Africanized queen. I’ve read we’re in Arizona we’re they overtake a regular hive . I was just curious.

[@brucesbees]

Theoretically I guess it’s possible but there are so many bees around that folks move in that I think it is doubtful the Africanized can get a foothold in that area.