Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/275392
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER MARCH 15, 2014 11 other hand, apples have a vast surplus of flowers, and a goal is to always set the king blossom but not many more. "Bees will work close to the hive for the first day or two after being moved," he said. "They will forage up to two miles from the hive, and they will tend to work the most attractive crops available." While dandelions and other flowers compete for bees' attention, once bees have begun working in apples, they stay loyal. "Bees will continue to work the same crop they started working," Smith said. "Bees tend to work up and down the rows in high-density plantings. Much of the pollen transfer for cross-pollination takes place inside the hive." Stressful times Over the last 30 years, much has changed for beekeep- ers. The arrival of Varroa mites in the 1980s changed bee- keeping forever and virtually eliminated populations of feral honeybees living in woodlots. To control the mites that suck vital fluids from bees, beekeepers began using miticides in the hives. While much attention has been given to insecticides that kill bees, an important problem is now thought to be the interaction between fulvalinate, the miticide beekeepers use, and sterol biosynthesis inhibiting (SI) fungicides. While fungicides themselves are not consid- ered toxic to bees, the synergism between fungicides and fulvalinate may increase toxicity to bees by 2,000 times, Smith said. Smith recommends that growers not spray fungicides during bloom but, if they must, spray when bees are not present and use fungicides like captan and mancozeb, which have less effect on bees. "Time sprays to allow for king bloom pollination," he said. Extended blooms make life difficult for bees as well as growers. "Never spray when bees are foraging, even fungi- cides," he said. "Spray early mornings or evening if nec- essary during bloom. Try to eliminate SI and strobilurin fungicides during bloom." Varroa mites are also disease carriers, and a new stain of nosema, Nosema ceranae, has added to the stress on bees. Viruses are carried as well. Feeding bees Because of the demand for a large supply of strong colonies for pollination, beekeepers now feed their bees, both pollen and sugar syrup, for much of the year, Smith said. In addition to winter losses, Smith estimates beekeep- ers lose another 30 percent of their bees during the rest of the year. "Replacing hives is a constant operation for all com- mercial beekeepers," he said. "Most beekeepers are replacing 100 percent or more of their hives every year." It's important that growers inspect the hives they rent, he said, and he can help them evaluate hive strength and overall quality of the hives. "It's always more cost effective to rent stronger hives of bees for pollination," he said. "Two weak hives will never equal the field force of one strong hive." While renting bees can seem expensive, Smith says it takes a savvy beekeeper to make money in the business. "The cost of maintaining a hive is about $100 a year for food alone," Smith said. "Overall, it will cost $250 to $300 to maintain a hive." Pollination also is not a honey-gathering process. Bee- keepers make honey after the pollination season is over, seeking out nectar sources like sweet clover in North Dakota, star thistle in northern Michigan, and the tupalo trees of the Southeast. • "It's always more cost effective to rent stronger hives of bees for pollination." —Tim Smith COURTESY OF TIM SMITH