—by Matt Milkovich
Growers often ask Michigan State University assistant professor and entomologist Meghan Milbrath if it would be cheaper to manage honey bee colonies themselves. Her short answer is, “No.”
If growers are willing to put in the time, expense and labor required to manage honey bees, which are considered food-producing livestock, they might be able to make it work. But for most, she recommends hiring a beekeeper.
Milbrath discussed pollinator management and protection during the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO in December. She said good communication with your beekeeper is essential: Beekeepers need six weeks in advance to prepare the colonies that will pollinate your crop. They also need easy access to your fields. They’re coming in on trucks, often navigating muddy farm paths in spring.
“There’s a common misconception that you have to put bees right on the side of the orchard, but it can be easier for the beekeeper, and the bees, if it’s in a safe place a little farther away,” Milbrath said. “In a lot of cases, beekeepers are happier and willing to leave more hives if it’s easier in, easier out.”
Pesticide drift also poses less risk if the colonies rest farther away from the cash crop. Honey bees, which can easily fly more than a mile, will find the flowers you want them to pollinate, she said.
Milbrath stressed the importance of placing robust honey bee colonies to ensure pollination. The colony focuses first on taking care of the brood nest. In a small colony, all the adult bees get tied up managing larvae and pupae, and none are left to forage for food, which can lead to colony collapse. Bigger colonies have enough bees to care for the brood and forage for food, boosting their chances of survival.
She also said using a mix of pollinators can improve on-farm pollination. Pollinators come in different shapes and sizes and have different pollination strategies. Orchard bees carry pollen on their bellies; bumble bees sit at the bottom of the flower, buzz it and let the pollen drop onto them; honey bees go inside the flower and coat themselves with pollen.
To attract wild pollinators, provide habitat and food. Plant nectar-producing clovers and other forage on the orchard floor to provide for ground-nesting pollinators. Plant native wildflowers near the orchard to attract native pollinators. Some growers hesitate to plant pollinator-friendly plantings near an orchard because they think the planting might pull pollinators away from their cash crop. But pollinators are much healthier, and eat more, when they have multiple food sources, Milbrath said.
Pesticide exposure is another important consideration.
“A lot of what I look at is how diseases and pesticides work together when the bees are coming out of the cropping system,” she said.
Studies have shown that bees are exposed to multiple pesticides when pollinating crops, and those are brought back to the hives. Mixing different pesticides together in the hive can have “synergistic effects” that are detrimental to bee health, she said.
To minimize pesticide exposure, scout thoroughly for bees and withhold spraying, if possible, while they’re around. Follow pesticide labels but know that labels don’t always tell the whole story.
“Just because it doesn’t say it kills bees does not mean it’s safe for bees,” Milbrath said. “We can’t assume a thing is safe, because we don’t know the context of what else is coming into the hive.” •
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