Orchards and Pollination

Orchard pollination is the transfer of pollen from flower to flower by bees; in many fruit species yield, fruit size and fruit shape depend directly on it. For the beekeeper an orchard means a resource that builds colonies up quickly in early spring and an income from pollination services; the biggest risk is spraying during bloom. This page covers timing, the number and placement of hives, precautions against spraying and the pollination agreement.

Why is pollination so important in fruit trees?

Many fruit varieties are self-incompatible: they cannot be fertilised by their own pollen and need pollen from another variety. That is why pollinizer varieties are planted among the main variety in orchards, and it is largely bees that carry pollen between the two.

Pollination determines not only the number of fruits but also their shape and weight. As in apple, each ovule has to be fertilised by a separate pollen grain; a poorly fertilised fruit stays small, grows lopsided or drops early. Having enough bees in the orchard is therefore a matter not only of yield but of quality.

Which fruit crops depend most on bees?

The table below is a general guide. Flowering dates vary with region, altitude and the weather of the year; there can be more than a month's difference between the Mediterranean coast and inland areas. Self-incompatibility also varies by variety; ask an agronomist about the varieties in your orchard.

Citrus is a special case: in some seedless mandarin varieties cross-pollination can cause seeds to form in the fruit. Growers of these orchards may not want bees; always talk to them before placing hives.

When should hives be moved into the orchard?

Fruit bloom is short; in most species a tree's flowers open and fall within one or two weeks. Timing is therefore decisive:

• Don't bring them too early: Colonies brought in before bloom get used to other sources nearby (dandelion, mustard, wild flowers) and visit the fruit trees less.
• The right moment: Common practice is to bring hives in when roughly 5–10% of the flowers are open. For species that are less attractive to bees, such as pear, hives can be brought in a little later in the bloom.
• Moving: Move colonies in the evening, after the bees have returned to the hive; with the morning flight they meet an orchard already in bloom.
• Removal: Take the hives out right after petal fall, before the first spray.

Weather is decisive too. Bees fly little on cool, windy and rainy days; if bloom falls in such a week, pollination will be incomplete. In that case a strong colony is the only kind that can put out enough foragers during short sunny spells.

How many hives are needed for pollination, and how should they be placed?

The number of hives needed depends on the fruit species, tree density, wild bees in the area and colony strength. A commonly used starting figure for apple, pear and cherry is 2–3 strong colonies per hectare; more are used in very dense, early-flowering orchards such as almond. Colony strength matters more than numbers: two weak colonies do not do the work of one strong colony.

• Spread them out: Rather than gathering colonies at one point, place them in small groups throughout the orchard so that no tree is too far from a group.
• Sun and wind: Choose spots that get morning sun and are sheltered from wind. A hive in the sun starts flying earlier in the morning.
• Water: If there is no clean water in the orchard, bees collect water from puddles, which may often contain pesticide residues. Provide a waterer or drinking trough.
• Access: Choose places away from the routes of tractors and sprayers, but reachable by the beekeeper's vehicle.

How do you prepare a colony for pollination?

1. Bring them through winter strong: Colonies going to pollination need to enter winter in autumn with enough stores and healthy winter bees.
2. Make sure there is open brood: A colony with open brood collects more pollen, and it is the pollen-collecting bees that do the pollinating.
3. Stimulative feeding if needed: Dilute syrup in the weeks before bloom can boost brood rearing. Stop feeding once the nectar flow starts.
4. Health check: Don't take colonies with a high varroa load or disease; they will not do the job and may carry disease to other apiaries.
5. Preparing for the move: Secure the hive parts, provide ventilation and close the entrance just before moving.

Spraying during bloom: how do you protect your bees?

The biggest threat to colonies brought into an orchard is spraying during bloom. A bee cannot recognise a sprayed flower; poisoning sometimes ends in mass death, sometimes in foragers quietly disappearing.

• Legal notification: In Türkiye, under the Beekeeping Regulation, crop growers must inform the provincial/district agriculture directorate and the village headman before starting pest control, and the spraying programme is announced to beekeepers in the area in advance. The beekeeper, in turn, is obliged to find out the programme for their area from the directorate.
• No insecticides on open flowers: Products toxic to bees should not be applied during bloom. If an application is unavoidable, evening hours when bees are not flying should be chosen and the bee warning on the product label must be followed.
• Mow under the trees: Mowing the flowering weeds under the trees (dandelion, mustard, clover) before spraying reduces the number of bees drawn into the sprayed area.
• Beware of tank mixes: Using certain fungicides together with insecticides can increase toxicity to bees.
• Closing hives needs care: If hives are to be closed on the day of application, ventilation must be provided; a colony in a fully closed hive can suffocate in hot weather. Where possible, moving colonies away temporarily is safer.

What should a pollination agreement include?

A written agreement protects both sides. It should include at least the following points:

• Number and strength of colonies: A measurable definition such as "colonies with brood and at least 6–8 frames of bees".
• Dates: When the hives are brought in and taken out; the percentage of bloom can be written in as the criterion instead of calendar dates.
• Placement and access: Hive locations, vehicle access, security against theft and animals.
• Water source.
• Spraying conditions: No applications toxic to bees during bloom, advance notice if one is unavoidable, and who is liable if this rule is broken.
• Fee and payment: Fee per hive, payment date.

The spraying clause is the most important one, and most disputes arise from it.

What does an orchard give the beekeeper?

An orchard usually does not give a honey surplus: bloom is short and the colony spends what it collects on its own development. Citrus is the exception to this rule; in the Mediterranean, citrus bloom gives a harvestable honey crop in most years.

The real gain lies in two things: rapid colony build-up on abundant pollen in early spring, and the pollination fee. When bloom ends the orchard becomes completely empty for bees; because the colonies have grown quickly, the risk of swarming also rises at this point. Where the colonies will go after the orchard and how they will be managed should be planned in advance.

How do you build a good relationship with the grower?

Explaining to the grower how pollination contributes to yield is the basis of long-term cooperation. A grower who sees the benefit of bees is more careful about spraying. Suggesting that they keep the hawthorn, wild plum and flowering hedges around the orchard supports both wild bees and honey bees.