Bee Prices

[Jen]

Well Perry... I don't know where I would put them for one thing. And I don't think I can manage all that lifting even tho I'm working towards all mediums. I live in the city limits and I'm not even sure I can have bees in my back yard, gotta keep my hat on about that. We'll see how it goes

[iddee]

Litefoot, you will have to adapt to your way of beekeeping. I remove bees from buildings and trees. I may have 40 or more in the summer and 5 or less in winter. When someone wants to buy a nuc, I find the strongest and pull a nuc. If not strong enough to sustain, I simply combine the left over with a neighbor. I have no set routine, except "Everything I have is for sale except my wife and kids. My wife, I need to cook for me, and my kids I can't give away".   

[apisbees]

The cost comes down to income per hive. With producers losing such a large portion or their hives each year along with the increased demand for bees by new beekeepers and replacements for high colony deaths. The income generated for the colonies has needed to increase for the beekeepers to survive. It is not just package and nuc prices but pollination and honey prices are also on the rise.
Like Iddee some are producing and selling nucs and packages rather than managing the bees for a large honey crop. If you get the chance Dr Lawrence Connor talk on maximizing the income potential from a hive with his talk on $500.00 per hive per year is worth listening to.

[tecumseh]

don't get me wrong here ApisBee I do enjoy Dr Connors presentation but as far as I know he has never really made his money producing either bees or honey.  This does NOT mean to me that his take is not worth considering.  I greatly enjoy his talks and always walk away with some new insight.   

I would suggest that HISTORICALLY (meaning really recent history... ie in my own life time) a rise in the price of basic fuel either drives bee keeping related prices upward or bankrupts those that cannot pass on this additional cost.

Does anyone not think it curious that CCD should arrive just a bit after fuel prices have gone up by a factor of 3? 

[Dunkel]

Tec,  I have to agree with the rising fuel cost being an underlying cost behind a lot of the increase.  Between driving to yards, increase of shipping costs in every aspect, has to be dealt with.  Cost of raising sugar crops, processing and delivery.  Same with wooden ware and everything else.  Weather, diseases, and labor are also factors.