Pollen collection, honey production, and pollination services: Managing honey bees in an agricultural setting

Abstract

Hybrid canola seed production is an important pollination market in Canada; typically both honey bees (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) and Alfalfa Leafcutting bees (Megachile rotundata Fab. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)) are concurrently managed to ensure pollination in this high-value crop. Beekeepers are paid to provide pollination services, and the colonies also produce a honey crop from the canola. Pollen availability from male-fertile plants is carefully managed in this crop to provide an abundance of pollen to fertilize male-sterile ('female') plants. This abundance of pollen represents an underutilized resource for beekeepers, and an opportunity to diversify the hive-products produced for market in this management system. We used a commercial-style pollen trap to collect pollen from colonies twice weekly for the duration of canola pollination, and compared the honey production and amount of sealed brood in colonies with pollen traps to those without pollen traps. We found that while pollen trapping reduced honey production, there was no negative impact on brood production, and at current market prices, the per-hive revenue was higher in colonies from which pollen was trapped. Pollen trapping honey bee colonies in the context of hybrid canola pollination, therefore, offers beekeepers an opportunity to diversify their products and increase their revenue.