ISHS Acta Horticulturae 437: VII International Symposium on Pollination
A COMPARISON OF COMMERCIALLY MANAGED BUMBLEBEES AND HONEY BEES (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) FOR POLLINATION OF PEARS |
| Authors: | D.F. Mayer, J.D. Lunden |
| Abstract:
Fifteen colonies of Bombus occidentalis Greene were obtained from a commercial supplier and placed on individual stands around the edges of a one-acre Bartlett pear orchard located near Benton City, WA. Individual foraging bumble and honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were observed. Bumblebees visited an average of 5 pear flowers per minute and honey bees 10. The number of foraging Bumblebees per pear tree per 30 seconds was < 0.5 while the number of honey bees was ca 10. The tunnel traffic of individual Bumblebee colonies ranged from 0.4–6.7 bees/five minutes. The average weight (mg) of Bumblebee workers was 98.3 with a pear pollen load of 11.3. Honey bee workers averaged 132.2 with a pear pollen load of 25. | |
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