California farms are nuts for bees

The state’s almond crop — its most valuable farm export — owes its vitality to 48 billion buzzing helpers: rented honeybees from across the U.S.

The almond industry uses billions of the insects. Their survival is a top priority.

California honeybee colonies are recovering after big losses. But rental costs to almond farmers are up sharply.

Photographs by Michael Robinson Chavez Los Angeles Times GORDON WARDELL, a staff entomologist at Paramount Farming Co., the world’s biggest almond grower, inspects a hive.

REPORTING FROM LOST HILLS, CALIF.