In recent years, raw honey has gained popularity for its natural sweetness and myriad health benefits. As more people become conscious of the foods they consume, there’s been a noticeable shift towards natural and unprocessed products. Raw honey, in particular, stands...
Our Pollination Service
Overberg Honey Co Pollination
The provision of bees for pollination of crop plants is a specialized practice, not just a sideline of honey production. We develop and select strong colonies that can provide the immense force of field bees needed to transfer pollen. We set minimum standards for colony strength and size to use as a basis for establishing prices and for providing the best possible service. The number of bees, and not the number of hives, is the actual unit of measure. There should be four or more frames with broods and sufficient bees to cover them. There should also be a reserve food supply of honey. The colonies may be examined in the field at intervals to keep them in suitable pollination conditions.
The number of standard colonies needed per hectare of crop plants varies depending on the crop’s attractiveness, competition from surrounding sources of nectar and pollen, and the percentage of flowers that must produce fruit or seed to provide an economic return. Higher numbers of hives may be needed where other cultivated plants or weeds compete vigorously for the bees’ attention.
Bees should be placed within or beside the crop to be pollinated. For fruit pollination, the bees benefit from full sun and shelter from the wind. Later in the year, some afternoon shade is helpful.
Things to be discussed before pollination season:
- Number of colonies needed;
- Pesticide usage;
- Colony standards;
- The rights of the grower to examine the colonies;
- Rights of access by the beekeeper;
- Pollination fees and time of payment;
- The timing of movements of bees to and from the crop.
Our Pollination Service
The Honey Bee Blog
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