To be included on this page please contact Don, whose email address is at the bottom of this page

June 2006

Disclaimer: Honeybee Australis takes no responsibility for the content of this page and makes no representations as to the nature of the services advertised or the character of any advertisers.

Pollination is the transfer of pollen to the female part of the flower. In horticulture & agriculture adequate pollination ensures a prolific and high quality crop. In many plants this is done buy insects (bees).

For crops where bees are required for pollination Yields may be increased by over 500% by placing the appropriate number of strong colonies of bees so they can pollinate the crop.

Why are strong colonies needed?

The hives of bees need to be strong (have many bees in it) because a hive with 40,000 bees in it will have a lot more bees foraging (pollinating) than a hive with 20,000 bees

Why pay for pollination?

Without payment there is no contract so the beekeeper can remove their hives before pollination is complete. They may do this if a more attractive offer arises. Also modern agriculture/horticulture tends towards a monoculture situation this will not provide a balanced diet for the bees. For beehives to remain strong some sort of supplementary feeding is often necessary

What should beekeepers deliver? 

• Bees for pollination should be
• The appropriate strength
• At the appropriate time
• Bees should also be of placid temperament
• Nuisance swarms should be dealt with promptly

• Easy access to the site (bees are often moved at night)
• Access to water (bees can use over 1 liter per hive per day)
• Information on proposed spraying programs (dead bees will not pollinate any thing)
• Other factors to be considered
• The distance the beekeeper has to travel
• The number of hives that make up one load
• Facilities for the beekeeper to camp on the property

For more information on bees and pollination please look at the following web page this will take you off this site so you may wish to bookmark this page

http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/programs/dairy/apiculture/index.htm#req
http://pollinator.com/polmanagement.htm

For information on supplementary feeding of bees 

http://www.honeybee.com.au/Library/Beefeeds.html
http://www.honeybee.com.au/cbp/

There are restrictions on moving bees across state borders.

List of beekeepers providing pollination.

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

South Australia

Western Australia

Northern Territory

Tasmania

If you cannot find anybody on the list you could try the   the Clubs & Associations page in the beekeeping information page

This page was conceived and written by Don Nairn

For any comments alterations additions. Please contact Don Nairn don_nairn@email.com