Workers' Wages

I'm concerned that my bees may be planning to take industrial action.

It was a broadcast last Tuesday morning on BBC Radio 4 - 'On the trail of the American Honey Bee' that got the hives buzzing. Apparently American bees get paid!

Not much admittedly, just 1 cent a month, but with 60,000 bees in each hive in the summer time that means I'm facing a potential wages bill of $1,200 a month. I'm ruined; just to cover the workers' wages I would have to charge £380 for a jar of honey.

Why do American bees get so well paid? Simple - they pollinate the most valuable crop on earth worth $2.5 billion p.a. - almonds.  With 1.5 million hives being trucked into California each spring it's clear that pollination services provided by honey bees is big business.

We don't have almonds in the UK, or oranges or cranberries, but our bees still provide a great service pollinating apple, pear and plum trees; oil seed rape, raspberries, blackberries, field beans, runner beans and dozens of garden and wild flowers.

Most hobbyist beekeepers don't charge for pollination, but if my bees demand fair payment for services rendered, I'm going to be knocking on my neighbours doors and presenting an invoice!