Enhancing pollination efficiency in almonds (AL06003)

This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

Langstroth hives fitted with a modified lid with an entrance lined with soft felt or steel or plastic pollen traps or hives fitted with plastic pollen traps and sugar-fed significantly increased the pollen count on the bodies of exiting honey bees. In terms of utilising the research findings in contract pollination service where costs determined profitability, the recommendation was for a trial in a commercial orchard (e.g. almond, apple, avocado, plum) of sugar-fed single hives fitted with plastic pollen traps. Despite the bees' destruction of the felts lining the modified lid entrances, the soft felt liner may have been a worthwhile inclusion into any field trial.

This required some changes in how beehives were managed by beekeepers and because of that, the implementation of the recommendation was likely to encounter some initial resistance.