Notes on the Pollinator Issue

Concern about the future of pollinators is widespread, shared by farmers, home gardeners, the USDA and many organizations worldwide. At any grower meeting, farm show or conference you'll hear about varroa mites, colony collapse disorder, migratory beekeeping and falling wild bee numbers. So what does it mean for your own fields or garden?

Blooming Wild bergamot (bee balm) is a good forage plant for bees.

Photo: Audrey Maddox, courtesy of the University of Maine Pollination Security Project.

In fall 2006, beekeepers began seeing unusually heavy winter losses in their hives. The name colony collapse disorder (CCD) was given to the problem, which researchers broadly agree comes from several causes acting together, including parasites, viruses, stress and pesticides.

Whatever is behind it, the number of honeybee colonies for rent has shrunk even as acreage of pollinator-dependent crops expands, and rental fees have climbed as a result. In California almonds, a hive that rented for roughly $60 in 2002 now costs upward of $200; in Maine blueberries, fees went from about $45 per hive in 2000 (University of Maine pollination research) to somewhere around $85–$135 or higher. Weak pollination now has a real cost for growers.

Rented honeybee hives set out in a commercial blueberry field in Maine.

Photo: Frank Drummond, PhD, courtesy of the University of Maine Pollination Security Project.

Apple growing in China shows what is at stake. In parts of Sichuan province wild bees have nearly vanished, and apple growers there now pollinate every flower by hand. Hand pollination on that scale would make most U.S. farms unprofitable. Honeybees are still available here, but many growers are already planning ahead to protect pollination on their farms.

We grow with pollinators in mind, using flower plantings, beneficial insects and other integrated pest management (IPM) practices that support pollinators are part of how we grow. We also offer seed of plants known to attract beneficial insects, such as a bee forage mix and our beneficial insect attractant mix, plus advice on supporting pollinator populations. Read our introduction to farmscaping with insectary, trap and repellent crops for more.