CULTIVATING SUSTAINABILITY
PROJECT APIS M.
Recommendations for Honey Bees Pollinating Almonds In January each year, beekeepers across the nation begin the monumental task of transporting honey bees to California for almond pollination. While almond growers are finding it increasingly difficult to get reliably strong colonies, beekeepers are facing growing challenges to keep their hives alive. Beekeepers must work year-round maintaining, managing, feeding, and treating their bees for Varroa and diseases to ensure a good supply for the almond industry. Almond growers also play a part in the success and sustainability of pollination.
Photo by Project Apis m., 2019
In addition, growers can consider these recommendations for honey bees pollinating almonds from Project Apis m :
Communication Growers should communicate with all parties that are involved with pollination. Proper communication will certainly include the beekeeper who is providing the colonies, but might also include a bee broker. Growers should also be communicating with their pest control adviser (PCA), and certified pesticide applicator (CPA) to ensure safe and responsible product applications while bees are present. California county agricultural commissioners also play a vital role in the communication chain between growers and beekeepers. All colonies are required to be registered with each county agricultural commissioner upon arrival in that county. The best way to register colonies is by using the Bee Where program. This web based program offers beekeepers a dynamic, real-time geographic information system (GIS) where they can mark colonies with a pin drop in the orchard via a mobile app. Bee Where is useful to growers because their notice of intent (NOI) required for some material applications allows each county agricultural commissioner to notify beekeepers in the area, allowing them the opportunity to move their colonies. Proper communication helps both grower and beekeeper achieve successful pollination while reducing risk to honey bee colonies and the almonds they pollinate. Starting before bloom, growers and beekeepers should agree upon average frame count per colony, date and location of placement and removal, inspection protocol, and payment terms. A contract is a good way to get the discussion going. A pollination contract template can be found at the Project Apis m . website.
Photo by Project Apis m., 2022: Trucks carrying honey bees line up at the border station in Truckee, California for inspection in January, 2022. Each semi-truck holds around 400 honey bee colonies. It is estimated that over 4,000 trucks will bring bees into California this year, from as far away as Massachusetts and Florida. As the almond bloom approaches and millions of honey bees approach California, it is a great time for growers to review the Almond Board’s “Honey Bee Best Management Practices for Almonds” (almonds.com/beeBMPs). This excellent resource gives clear guidance on how almond growers can contribute to keeping honey bees safe and healthy during the pollination season.
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