Peter C. Witherell

Distribution and Foraging Activities of Honeybees During Almond Pollination

SummaryA magnetic capture-recapture system was used to study the distribution and foraging activities of 1513 honeybees from 60 apiaries in 5 almond orchards (area 9 km2) in California, USA. Bees tended to forage near the apiary from which they flew. Where there was intense competition, owing to high hive densities, foragers dispersed to orchards containing fewer hives. There were significantly more foragers in populous than in small colonies, but the distance at which they foraged was not affected by colony size. The mean nectar load was 5·9 μl, and its mean sugar concentration 43·9%. Pollen collection and foraging distance were similar for Hy-Queen and for common Italian stocks.

The Inter- and Intra-Orchard Distribution of Honeybees During Almond Pollination

SummaryThe distribution of foraging honeybees was determined, by a magnetic capture-recapture system, for 703 colonies in 9 almond orchards within an area of 9 km2 near Dixon, California. Flight distances and directions were recorded for 2052 bees. The mean foraging range of bees from various apiaries within orchards varied from 80 to 261 m; it depended greatly upon the spatial distribution of apiaries. Inter-orchard flights were appreciable from orchards with high colony densities (c. 8/ha) to orchards without colonies or with low colony densities.In large production areas, pollination districts are suggested for co-ordinating the distribution of colonies for maximal foraging efficiency, and for equitable distribution of colony costs among the growers.

Distribution of Honeybees During Water Collection

SummaryA magnetic capture-recapture system was used to determine the distribution of 2377 honeybees, from 10 out of 21 apiaries in the area studied (399 hives); the bees were marked while collecting water at 16 sites. Bees tended to collect water at sources close to their apiary; the mean distance was 88·9 m (±5·3 SE). The maximum distance recorded was 2337 m.