The Influence of Honey Bee “Sideworking” Behavior on Cross-pollination and Fruit Set in Apples

Abstract

Poor fruit set in ‘Delicious’ apple has been associated with blossom morphology, which permits honey bees to obtain nectar while standing on the petals (side-working). We observed honey bees foraging on ‘Delicious’ and recorded the percentage that touched the stigmata. In addition, the percentage of cross-pollinated ‘Delicious’ stigmata was determined daily. The percentage of foragers sideworking ‘Delicious’ initially was low, but increased daily. By the time sideworking became the predominant foraging method, after peak bloom, most blossoms had been cross-pollinated. Initial fruit set on cultivars that can be sideworked was greater than or equal to that on ‘Mcintosh’. These data indicate that cross-pollination and fruit set are not limited significantly because of sideworking.