Orchard Pollination

[Stephenw]

Hi


Out of curiosity how do beekeepers charge fruit producers to bring their bees to the orchard? How much would the orchard owner pay?

Stephen

 

[Chris B]

It all depends...

but the Bee Farmers scheme charges mid-forties per colony for top fruit. For that you move the hives in and out at short notice.

 

[Queens59]

I have been asked to site 2/3 hives on a local farm in their fruit orchard. It is a favour to me (can't site many at home) and a favour to them - so quite happy to have the honey...

 

[Stephenw]

Yeah exactly. Orchards are good places for apiaries..



Steve

 

[Poly Hive]

Ummm no.

Never done pollination myself but from convos with BFA members they tell me that apples can be very hard on bees and it is not unknown to have to feed them on the job. Hence the charge to cover losses and moving costs.

PH

 

[Midland Beek]

My bees would rather work dandelion than apple.

 

[Teemore]

Of old, orchard owners sprayed off all the dandelions because they well know that bees prefer to forage on them rather than the apple trees. Before you rush to put bees into an orchard, have a think about the sprays that are used in orchard management: pesticides and fungicides. Both types now tend to be systemic i.e. they stay in the trees long after the spraying has been completed. Fair enough, they do not spray when the trees are in blossom (or tend not to) but if you are thinking of locating bees in an orchard on a permanent basis they could be exposed to periodic spray applications.
I have friends and relatives who own a LOT of apple orchards (Armagh is the 'Garden of Ulster') and I have spent a lot of time debating whether to take advantage of this but I am still undecided. I'll be having a chat with a few folk about the sprays they use before I move any hives.

 

[margob99]

I'm a newbie so please forgive me if my questions appear daft, but could I ask - what is the effect of the sprays orchard farmers might use to keep down the dandelions? Are they poisonous to bees and kill them outright? Do they taint the honey somehow? What are the effects?

 

[RoofTops]

The spray will be a herbicide so I can't see it killing bees outright but like others, I would be wary of putting bees in an orchard which was heavily sprayed.

 

[Skyhook]

Ummm no.

Never done pollination myself but from convos with BFA members they tell me that apples can be very hard on bees and it is not unknown to have to feed them on the job. Hence the charge to cover losses and moving costs.

PH

Accords exactly with what I've heard- read Oliver Field on the subject. HOWEVER- if what Queens59 is being offered is an out-apiary site in what is otherwise a decent area, normal rules apply as regards not letting them starve, and they may well get something from the fruit trees if the weather suits.

 

[Queens59]

Correst Skyhook - plus there are more pear and cherry than apple, and they haven't sprayed since they have had the farm 20+ years. All in all I think it will be great - as long as my bees go along with the plan and agree to split nicely...

 

[Skyhook]

Correst Skyhook - plus there are more pear and cherry than apple, and they haven't sprayed since they have had the farm 20+ years. All in all I think it will be great - as long as my bees go along with the plan and agree to split nicely...

I'll lend you the book, mine must have nearly finished reading it by now.....

 

[Teemore]

margoB99 - My comment about spraying off Dandelions was more to confirm what Midlands beek had said (i.e. that bees prefer dandelions to apple blossom) rather than warn people off placing bees in orchards simply because of the herbicides used to kill dandelions. This does raise the point that a lot of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides are in regular use in most commercial orchards. Commercial growers seem to demonstrate a universal reluctance to discuss the types and amounts of spray they use in their orchards - I wonder why? My greatest concern about moving bees into an orchard on a permanent basis is that the pesticides and fungicides that are sprayed directly onto the apple trees are now predominantly systemic and as such the chemicals pervade the fruit trees and it is argued that they are present in the pollen and nectar which the bees gather and feed upon. I can't stop my bees foraging in apple orchards as County Armagh has rather a lot of apple trees....

 

[bramblebee]

I keep bees in my orchards all year round
I am also a apple and pear grower and I do not spray sprays, that will harm any benifical insects including bees
I also do not spray of any dandilions or other flowering weeds in my grass alley ways
We maintain all of this as working closer to nature will save money, to pull in pollunating insects they will need feed all year round not just at apple pollunation time
If the tempreture is not right bees wont go to either apple or dandilions
I grow 50 acres of top fruit and have no problem with the bees or the honey
But some cheaper chemicals can be bad for bees but they do state this on the label

 

[Stephenw]

I agree with you there. Where I will be putting my hive will be amoung the apple orchards. Was talkin to one of the apple men and he told me him and other beekeepers around him are using bee friendly blite spray so I was pleased when I heard that.


Steve

 

[Erichalfbee]

using bee friendly blite spray


Steve

Is there such a thing?

My uncle used to grow apples and the trees were sprayed with an oil before the flowers opened and an insecticide just after they had opened........maybe practices change?

Might be worth identifying exactly what this BF spray is.

 

[Stephenw]

Sounds like ther is a bee friendly spray..

Glad he told me. Saved me worrying.


Steve

 

[oliver90owner]

Was talkin to one of the apple men and he told me him and other beekeepers around him are using bee friendly blite spray

Yep, he might well be right that blight spray is honey bee friendly. Should be reasonably safe - it is a fungicide, after all, not an insecticide. Don't suppose he went into any 'bee friendly' insecticides he uses? They are probably much less bee friendly. He was likely telling the truth - but perhaps not all of it.

RAB

 

[Stephenw]

I know he wasnt lying. He Uses spray before and after full blossom.


Steve

 

[SkiBee]

Interesting about forage in orchards. I am popping a couple of hives into an organic estate where there is a couple of orchards, small amount of general soft fruit/veg growing, lots of wild areas, blackberries, trees and a river. It Easter this year a ok time to move an established colony on National BB (April 25th ish) or should they go sooner?