IN YOUR ORCHARD
Growers Can Provide Beneficial Forage Bee populations are naturally at their lowest after winter; they come out of cold storage or overwintering apiaries and are moved straight into almond orchards. These bees have not had anything to forage for months so winter cover crops provide much-needed nutrition to weary bees awaiting the signal that winter is over. If planted in the early fall, cover crops can provide this critical food source even before almond bloom. When bees find the first pollen of the new year, it triggers a positive feedback loop throughout the hive. Available pollen from cover crops stimulates even more bees to forage which leads to larvae rearing. Finally, their strength and numbers increases before the marathon of almond pollination begins!
Suffice it to say, emerging best management practices for indoor cold storage helps to reduce winter losses, lower costs and ensure healthier hives are arriving to pollinate your almonds. 4 Starting the year off in almonds can go one of two ways for bees — almonds can provide a beneficial environment that pollinators thrive in, or beekeepers and growers chance bringing bees into potentially unsafe conditions. This risks harming the very insect we rely on most. The almond’s close bond with honey bees can serve as a poignant reminder of our responsibility to protect this essential relationship. The healthier the honey bees are, the more efficient they are at their job, which directly contributes to orchard yields. To get the most out of your hive rental and to create a safe place for honey bees to forage and pollinate, here is a review of honey bee best practices to use in your orchards.
Planting cover crops has exceptional advantages for both beekeepers and farmers by providing valuable soil benefits in the orchard alongside ample provisions for pollinators. Many beekeepers are willing to offer discounts on hive rentals if they know their bees are moving into an orchard with cover crops that guarantee access to critical nutrition and beneficial forage. 5 Growers Can Provide Water for Bees Honey bees require access to clean water sources. Since standing water from the orchard may be contaminated with pesticides or sprays that are toxic to bees, providing
Large indoor storage facilities can hold thousands of colonies. When the time is right, colonies can then be trucked directly out of the storage building and to the almonds before the bloom. Credit: Project Apis m.
28
ALMOND FACTS
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker