| Tomatoes |
Sweet peppers |
| Bumblebees can totally replace the use of manual vibrators
and hormone application, provided the plants produce viable
pollen. Bumblebees grasp the tomato flower and vibrate their
thorax to shake the pollen loose. This leaves a small brown
mark on the anther cone, making it possible to monitor their
work. A colony can pollinate 1000 to 3000 square metres of crop
for 6 to 8 weeks. The number of colonies required depends upon
the type of glasshouse or tunnel, the season, the variety, the
number of plants per square metre and the competition from wild
flowers. |
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|
| Sweet peppers pollinated by bumblebees will contain more seeds,
resulting in a better shape and a thicker pericap. One colony
is sufficient for the pollination of 3,000 to 5,000 square metres
during 6 to 8 weeks. |
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|
| Strawberry |
Orchard |
| The big bumblebees are able to transport large quantities
of pollen. The bumblebees land on the flower base (receptacle)
of the strawberry flower and pollinate all the pistils in doing
so. The flower base will develop into a beautiful, smooth fruit.
Thanks to the activity of the bumblebees, less deformed fruits
are produced. Bumblebees also work at low temperatures and under
cloudy skies. |
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|
| Bumblebees are less dependent on weather conditions during
bloom. They fly also at low temperatures, cloudy and windy weather.
Bumblebees are also insensitive to the varroa mite. For open-field
crops, the Multi-Hive
is extremely suitable. This bumblebee hive is weather-resistant. |
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|
| Soft fruit |
Seed production |
| (cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, black and red currant,
etc.) Bumblebees assure an excellent fruitset, especially during
periods when honeybees are not active: in winter and in spring,
and during cold and cloudy weather. Fruit quality is improved
and commercial yields increase substantially by using bumblebees
for pollination. |
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|
| Convinced of the many advantages, seed producing companies
use the Biobest bumblebees in order to achieve high seed production
(alfalfa, red clover, sunflowers, etc.). |
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|
| Zucchini and melons |
Blueberry |
| Bumblebees are very effective for pollination of zucchini
and melons. After removing the BIOGLUCŪ,
the bumblebees will visit male flowers (for pollen) as well
as female flowers (for nectar). |
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|
| For this crop, it is important that pollinating insects vibrate
the flower, which can be done by bumblebees but not honeybees. |
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|
| Other crops |
|
| Because of their physiology, bumblebees are impeccable pollinators
and can be introduced in lots of cultures. |
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|
|
Pollination