California Almond Pollination Service

Hive Wintering Management

California Almond Pollination Services, Inc. offers a unique management service for those that wish to winter their hives in California and lease them to growers for Almond Pollination. We handle every aspect of managing your hives for a 6-month period between October and March while helping you receive almond pollination revenue and building strong healthy hives. Space is limited and we will fill our bee yards early. If you are unable, or do not want to winter your bees with us, we can still broker your hives for the up coming almond pollination season.

How it works

  1. Bees are leased through a lease agreement. 
  2. We advance all wintering costs including feed, medication, bee yard rent, and labor. These expenses will be deducted from the almond pollination fees when your hives are rented in February.  
  3. Owners are responsible for freight costs to and from their location to our bee yard or the Grower’s orchard. 
  4. Hives must be on migratory pallets, double deeps (western deeps ok), migratory lids, straps, inside frame feeders, entrance reducers, mouse guards. Pallet size should be approximately 36” X 46” (4 Ways); 46 X 46 (6 Ways). Hives and pallets must be clean and free of all debris and broken parts. 
  5. Hives must have a minimum of 8 frames of live bees/brood and a minimum of 30 pounds of stored feed when received. 
  6. Samples of the hives may be collected and sent to the University of Maryland, Bee Informed Partnership Lab. You will receive the lab results for the Mite and Nosema averages and virus samples for up to 8 different viruses – free of charge.

Schedule Summary

  1. Unload hives in our bee yards.
  2. Take inventory of equipment received.
  3. Hive Inspection:
    • Mite test – send samples to Bee Informed Partnership*
    • Check for live queen
    • Check for brood
  4. Feed:
    • 1 – 3 pounds pollen patty
    • 1 – 2 gallon syrup
    • Feed 15 grams each of DFM Microbials, Reishi and Spirulina
  5. Medicate if necessary:
    • Varroa Mites
    • Tracheal Mites
    • Hive Beetle
    • Nosema
    • Foulbrood

*Your hives will be selected to participate in a formal study conducted by Bee Informed Partnership. Tests will be conducted for Varroa Mites, Tracheal Mites, Nosema, Foulbrood and testing for over 6 viruses. You will receive a copy of the report.

Around mid November a final inspection will be made to record the pre winter condition of each hive.

  1. Follow-up and inspect overall condition of hives:
    • Pre-winter grading
    • Check on feed, medication
    • Retest for mites on previously treated hives
  2. Close up hives for the winter:
  1. Check on hives weekly (without opening them) and after major storms.
  2. Last week of December, begin feeding 1 pound of pollen patty.
  3. Feed 15 grams of DFM Microbials, Reishi and Spirulina.
    • Note condition of hives while feeding
  1.  Feeding:
    • Second round of pollen patties (2 –pounds) each
    • Feed 1gallon of syrup with Pro Health
  2. Re-queen if necessary.
  3. Balance weak hives.
  4. Do final grading before going to orchard.
  5. Prepare hives for transportation to almonds.
  1. Hives will be transported to the almond orchards.
    • Hives will be graded and inspected with grower
    • Hives will be monitored bi-weekly or more
    • If necessary syrup will be fed in the orchards
  2. Beginning the last week of March through the first week of April hives will be returned to the owners.