scholarly journals An easy-to-manage two-entrance honey bee hive system for greenhouse pollination that improves fruit production

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e589101120029
Author(s):  
Beatriz de Jesus Rodrigues ◽  
Omar Jorge Sabbag ◽  
Gustavo do Valle Polycarpo ◽  
David De Jong ◽  
Daniel Nicodemo
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Cucurbita Pepo ◽  
Female Flower ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Flight Direction ◽  
Hand Pollination ◽  
Bee Colonies

An alternative two-entrance hive system demonstrated here is less taxing for the bee colonies. Bees are directed to forage inside the greenhouse when the crop is in flower, and only have access to the outside after anthesis. Consequently, there are no bees in the greenhouse in the afternoon, facilitating crop management. This system allows the farmer to control bee access to the crop without the need for a smoker or protective equipment. Using this system, we compared pollination by honey bees (Apis mellifera) to hand pollination of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo) in greenhouses, during two crop seasons. Data included number of flower visits by the bees, fruit production, and the time and consequent labor costs needed to control bee flight direction versus the costs of hand pollination. In the greenhouses with bees, each female flower received a mean of more than 40 bee visits. When eight or more bees visited a flower, the fruits were significantly heavier than with manual pollination (313 versus 232 g, respectively). Total production was increased 41% with bee pollination. Using bee pollination increased profit over 12%, taking into account hive rental and labor costs for hand pollination versus manipulating the hive entrances.

scholarly journals Honey bees, Apis mellifera, are important pollinators of the highbush blueberry variety Ventura despite the inability to sonicate

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keanu Martin ◽  
Bruce Anderson ◽  
Corneile Minnaar ◽  
Marinus de Jager
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Native Range ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Hand Pollination

AbstractAnimal-mediated pollination is an essential ecosystem service which over a third of the world’s agricultural crops depend on. Blueberry fruit production is highly dependent on pollinators and in their native range they are pollinated mostly by bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Demand for blueberries has increased in recent years due to their perceived health benefits. Consequently, blueberry cultivation has expanded well beyond their native range, including several regions where bumble bees are not present. In many areas, honey bees may be the only commercially available pollinators of blueberries because many countries ban the importation of bumble bees. This study aimed to determine the benefits of honey bee pollination on blueberry fruit quality and quantity for the variety Ventura by comparing yields of honey-bee-pollinated flowers to flowers where pollinators had been excluded. Honey bees significantly increased berry mass and diameter. Our results suggest that the presence of honey bee pollinators potentially increases revenue by approximately $864 501/ha in areas without bumble bees. We conclude that Ventura is reliably pollinated by honey bees, and that honey bee pollination may be a useful substitute for bumble bees in areas where bumble bees are absent. We also determined the extent to which blueberry yields could still be improved by comparing fruit quality and quantity under honey bee pollination to fruit quality and quantity achieved through ideal hand pollination. We found that blueberry yields may be still be significantly increased relative to ideal hand pollination and we discuss potential ways to improve the efficiency of honeybee pollination in the future. Additional research is required to study how beneficial honey bees are to fruit yield on varieties as the benefits of honey bees are likely to vary across different varieties.

scholarly journals Effects of Honey Bee Pollination on Pumpkin Fruit and Seed Yield

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Alan Walters ◽  
Bradley H. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Cucurbita Pepo ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Fruit Number ◽  
Carpenter Bees ◽  
Bee Colonies

The objective of this study was to measure honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) impact on seed set, fruit set, and yield of jack-o-lantern (Cucurbita pepo L.), large-sized (C. maxima Duch.), and processing pumpkins (C. moschata Duch. ex Poir.) under field conditions. There were sufficient natural pollinators [including bumblebees (Bombus spp.), carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.), honey bees, and squash bees (Peponapis pruinosa Say)] provided under field conditions to induce fruit set of jack-o-lantern pumpkins as fruit number obtained per hectare was not affected by the addition of a honey bee colony. However, the addition of honey bees did increase fruit number per hectare of the C. moschata and C. maxima cultivars evaluated. Honey bee pollination resulted in larger-sized fruit, increasing individual fruit size of all but small-sized pumpkins (<0.5 kg). Individual pumpkin fruit weights of the Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima cultivars evaluated increased by about, 26%, 70%, and 78%, respectively, when honey bee colonies were included. Natural pollination was insufficient to stimulate maximum fruit size development and seed number and seed weight per fruit. Although pumpkin fruit set will occur with natural pollinators, the addition of honey bee colonies will ensure the presence of pollinators to maximize fruit size. Since pumpkins are generally sold on a weight basis, growers may generate greater revenues with the addition of honey bee colonies in pumpkin fields.

scholarly journals Assessing the effectiveness of honey bee pollinators for cultivated blueberries in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keanu Martin ◽  
Bruce Anderson ◽  
Corneile Minnaar ◽  
Marinus L de Jager
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Hand Pollination ◽  
Pollination Deficit ◽  
The Difference

AbstractGlobally, agricultural crops are often dependent on insect pollination. Blueberries are an example of such a crop and owing to their proposed health benefits they are grown around the world, including locations where their native bumble bee pollinators do not occur. In the absence of bumble bees, blueberry pollination in South Africa and many other parts of the non-native, commercial range is performed primarily by honey bees. Despite this, the effectiveness of honey bee pollination on blueberries remains understudied. This study determined the effect of honey bee pollination on components of fruit yield (fruit set and mass) of five blueberry varieties that are extensively planted in South Africa. For each variety, two metrics were calculated: 1) the benefit of bees — a comparison of fruit yields after exposure to honey bees and fruit yields after honey bee exclusion, 2) the pollination deficit — the difference in yield between hand pollination (maximum yield potential) and yields after exposure to honey bee pollinators. Honey bee pollination consistently resulted in improved yields, although the magnitude of this improvement (i.e., the benefit of bees) was dependent on the variety considered. Similarly, the pollination deficit also varied considerably across varieties and while some varieties appeared to perform close to maximum potential (small pollination deficit), others yielded well below their maximum potential under honey bee pollination. This study demonstrates that honey bees are functional pollinators of blueberries in areas where native blueberry pollinators are absent. However, in such areas, it is important that special focus be given to selecting blueberry varieties that perform well with honey bees as their sole pollinator. Further research is necessary to determine how the pollination deficit of blueberry varieties can be decreased as well as how to increase the effectiveness of honey bee pollination.

Protected Culture Systems for Strawberry Production

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 459d-459
Author(s):  
Fumiomi Takeda ◽  
Paul R. Adler ◽  
D. Michael Glenn
Keyword(s):  
Light Intensity ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Hydroponic Culture ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Soilless Culture ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Culture Systems ◽  
Nutrient Film Technique ◽  
Plant Densities

Strawberry plants (cvs. Camarosa, Chandler, Sweet Charlie, Primetime, Jewel, and Tribute) were grown in soilless culture systems in a greenhouse from October to May. Fresh-dug and runner-tip Aplug® plants were transplanted into two systems: vertically stacked pots (24 plants/m2) containing perlite and horizontal nutrient film technique troughs (13 plants/m2). Plants were fertigated continuously with recirculating nutrient solution. In a 7-month production cycle, the plug plants bloomed earlier and produced more fruit during the first month of harvest (December) than the fresh-dug plants. Higher yields from plug plants were a result of more fruit numbers and not larger fruit size. Fruit production averaged 6.0 and 3.5 kg/m2 in the trough and pot systems, respectively. The vertical growing system allows greater plant densities, but light intensity reaching the plants in the lower sections of the tower can be less than 20% of levels measured at the top. Establishment costs of protected culture systems are higher, but production is earlier and labor costs are typically reduced. Greenhouse hydroponic culture systems could extend the winter strawberry production to more northern locations.

Are Non-Target Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Exposed to Dinotefuran From Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Trap Trees?

2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 2993-2996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Underwood ◽  
Brian Breeman ◽  
Joseph Benton ◽  
Jason Bielski ◽  
Julie Palkendo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Quechers Method ◽  
Significant Damage ◽  
Lycorma Delicatula ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Worker Bee

Abstract The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an introduced plant hopper that causes significant damage to host plants in the United States. Because of its affinity for tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, control efforts have focused on the use of the systemic insecticide, dinotefuran, in designated trap trees. There is concern about exposure to this pesticide by non-target species, especially honey bees, Apis mellifera, via lanternfly honeydew. Therefore, honey bee colonies were established in areas of high densities of trap trees and samples of honey, bees, and beeswax were collected in May, July, and October of 2017 for analysis. Samples were extracted by the QuEChERS method and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the presence and quantity of dinotefuran. Additionally, honeydew from lanternflies was analyzed for dinotefuran and informal observations of trap tree visitors were made. None of the worker bee, wax, or honey samples indicated detectable levels of dinotefuran; however, honeydew samples collected did contain dinotefuran above the detection limit with amounts ranging from 3 to 100 ng per sample. The lack of dinotefuran in honey bee products matches the general absence of honey bees at trap trees in informal observations.

scholarly journals Winter Survival of Individual Honey Bees and Honey Bee Colonies Depends on Level of Varroa destructor Infestation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e36285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coby van Dooremalen ◽  
Lonne Gerritsen ◽  
Bram Cornelissen ◽  
Jozef J. M. van der Steen ◽  
Frank van Langevelde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Varroa Destructor ◽  
Winter Survival ◽  
Bee Colonies

scholarly journals Deformed wing virus variant shift from 2010 to 2016 in managed and feral UK honey bee colonies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Kevill ◽  
K. C. Stainton ◽  
D. C. Schroeder ◽  
S. J. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Small Study ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Virus Variant ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Existing Data

AbstractDeformed wing virus (DWV) has been linked to the global decline of honey bees. DWV exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C), each with differing outcomes for the honey bee host. Research in the USA showed a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B between 2010 to 2016 in honey bee colonies. Likewise, in the UK, a small study in 2007 found only DWV-A, whereas in 2016, DWV-B was the most prevalent variant. This suggests a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B might have occurred in the UK between 2007 and 2016. To investigate this further, data from samples collected in 2009/10 (n = 46) were compared to existing data from 2016 (n = 42). These samples also allowed a comparison of DWV variants between Varroa-untreated (feral) and Varroa-treated (managed) colonies. The results revealed that, in the UK, DWV-A was far more prevalent in 2009/10 (87%) than in 2016 (43%). In contrast, DWV-B was less prevalent in 2009/10 (76%) than in 2016 (93%). Regardless if colonies had been treated for Varroa (managed) or not (feral), the same trend from DWV-A to DWV-B occurred. Overall, the results reveal a decrease in DWV-A and an increase in DWV-B in UK colonies.

scholarly journals Probabilistic assessment of nectar requirements for nectar-foraging honey bees

Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Rodney ◽  
Vincent J. Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Food Storage ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
American Government ◽  
The North ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractRecent concerns regarding potential effects of pesticides on pollinators have prompted regulatory agencies to estimate dietary ingestion rates for honey bees (Apis mellifera). The task is difficult because of the complex caste and food storage systems in honey bee colonies. Considerable data on the nutrition and energetics of honey bees have recently been collated. These data were used to parameterize a probabilistic model estimating nectar requirements of nectar foragers. Median estimates were more than 6× lower than the recommended median value from the North American government agencies, of 292 mg nectar/bee/day. The distribution of estimates had much greater variability than those of the agencies. The differences are due primarily to the disparate assumptions regarding how much time nectar foragers spend flying and foraging. Risk assessors considering honey bee dietary exposure should take account of current and emerging data providing insight into nectar forager dietary requirements, foraging activity, and feeding behavior.

scholarly journals Varroa jacobsoni infestation of adult Africanized and Italian honey bees (Apis mellifera) in mixed colonies in Brazil

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Moretto ◽  
Leonidas João de Mello Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Mite Infestation ◽  
Varroa Jacobsoni ◽  
Africanized Honey Bees ◽  
African Honey Bees ◽  
Africanized Bees ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Different Levels

Different levels of infestation with the mite Varroa jacobsoni have been observed in the various Apis mellifera races. In general, bees of European races are more susceptible to the mite than African honey bees and their hybrids. In Brazil honey bee colonies are not treated against the mite, though apparently both climate and bee race influence the mite infestation. Six mixed colonies were made with Italian and Africanized honey bees. The percentage infestation by this parasite was found to be significantly lower in adult Africanized (1.69 ± 0.44) than Italian bees (2.79 ± 0.65). This ratio was similar to that found in Mexico, even though the Africanized bees tested there had not been in contact with varroa, compared to more than 20 years of the coexistence in Brazil. However, mean mite infestation in Brazil on both kinds of bees was only about a third of that found in Mexico.

scholarly journals Effects of various sugar feeding choices on survival and tolerance of honey bee workers to low temperatures

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H.F. Abou-Shaara
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Sugar Feeding ◽  
Sugar Syrup ◽  
High Preference ◽  
Feeding Type ◽  
Honey Bee Workers ◽  
Feeding Choices ◽  
Bee Colonies ◽  
Mean Time

Beekeepers usually supply their colonies with alternatives to nectar (i.e. sugar feeding) during dearth periods of the year, especially cold times of winter. The objective of the study was to determine the best substances to feed bees to enhance the tolerance and survival of honey bees (<em>Apis</em> <em>mellifera</em> L.) to low temperatures. Seven feeding choices were compared under laboratory conditions. These feeding choices were: sugar syrup, liquid honey, creamed honey, honey candy, sugar candy, honey jelly, and honey/sugarcane juice jelly. The results showed that the number of bees attracted to each feeding choice was influenced significantly by feeding type. Worker bees were attracted to all feeding choices and showed a high preference to creamed honey, honey jelly or honey/juice jelly. The tolerance of honey bees to low temperature was enhanced when bees were fed on creamed honey, sugar syrup or honey candy. The mean time at which 50% of bees were able to survive ranged from 3 days (unfed bees) to 15.8 days (honey candy group). The survival rate of worker bees was highest when they fed on honey candy, creamed honey or sugar candy. In light of this study, creamed honey or honey candy can be considered the best feeding choices for bee colonies during winter to enhance their survival and tolerance to low temperatures.

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