Commercial beekeeping

A commercial operation with 3,000 colonies grosses $600K-$900K annually. Profit margin is 10-15% in a good year. The truck payment doesn't care about the bees.

Almonds in February, apples in April, blueberries in May, clover in June. Commercial beekeepers drive 1,600+ miles per season chasing bloom and pollination.

A full 10-frame deep weighs 80+ pounds. An 8-frame weighs 60. That weight gap is driving a quiet shift in commercial operations, especially as beekeepers age.

Two colonies per acre. Eight frames of bees minimum. A fee of $200-250+ per colony. California almonds consume 85% of US commercial colonies every February.