Russian honey bees can be used for commercial pollination?
by Steven Coy, Coy’s Honey Farm Inc.
Pollination is the second best thing honey bees do and Russia honey bees are excellent pollinators.
Soon after they were released they developed a reputation as bad for almond pollination. This was largely due to a lack of understanding of the management requirements of Russians. Russian honey bees are not Italian honey bees; their characteristics are more like Caucasian bees than Italians. They came to the U.S. from the Primorsky region of Russia in 1997 but 150 yrs before that they likely originated from different areas of western and central Russia. Most beekeepers in the U.S. are familiar with Italian based stock and its management strategies. The amount of stores requires for over wintering, the growth rate of colonies in the spring and the Italians relative hesitation to swarming is almost completely opposite to that of the Russian bee. Simply put, Russians are more responsive to the environmental conditions than Italians. Early in the spring the brood nest will be smaller and remain so until there is adequate availability of both pollen and nectar. Once brood rearing begins the size of the brood nest quickly equals or surpasses that of Italian colonies. A clear misunderstanding of the differences of these two races and the required changes in the management of them has led to many misconceptions about Russian bees.
All members of the RHBA are primarily honey producers some members do local pollinations non one operates as a commercial pollinator. Our largest member, Coy’s Honey Farm Inc., has been sending Russians to the Almonds for about 8 years and they do local pollination of melons in Southeast Missouri. The key to successful pollination is to have adequate numbers of foragers at the time of bloom. The tendency of Russians to stop brood production in times of dearth can be challenging but again, this is a management strategy that is unique to the region, time of year, and crop. The ability to build populations quickly, more quickly than Italians, should make Russians well suited for pollination. If you know the window of time when you will need peak numbers of foragers for the pollinated crop then you should be able to calculate when to begin feeding, so you colonies will peak in conjunction with the crop. Almond pollination presents a challenge to this concept because the middle of winter is the time when you typically need to stimulate brood rearing. Many beekeepers feed pollen patties and syrup during the winter. This often leads to an increase of Varroa mite population in addition to other health problems. The Coy’s are able to keep their bees in Arkansas until January. Many of the more northern beekeepers are not able to do this and must move their bees in the fall. Russian bees can overwinter in smaller clusters than Italians but they do not always do so. If there is sufficient nectar and pollen in the fall they will build a sufficient winter population that allows them to winter and still have enough bees to cover 8 frames of bees in the Almonds.
The key to pollination is having enough bees at the time of pollination. The following information demonstrates that Russian bees are comparable to Italians and with a few management changes can be used for commercial pollination.
Pollination is the second best thing honey bees do and Russia honey bees are excellent pollinators.
Soon after they were released they developed a reputation as bad for almond pollination. This was largely due to a lack of understanding of the management requirements of Russians. Russian honey bees are not Italian honey bees; their characteristics are more like Caucasian bees than Italians. They came to the U.S. from the Primorsky region of Russia in 1997 but 150 yrs before that they likely originated from different areas of western and central Russia. Most beekeepers in the U.S. are familiar with Italian based stock and its management strategies. The amount of stores requires for over wintering, the growth rate of colonies in the spring and the Italians relative hesitation to swarming is almost completely opposite to that of the Russian bee. Simply put, Russians are more responsive to the environmental conditions than Italians. Early in the spring the brood nest will be smaller and remain so until there is adequate availability of both pollen and nectar. Once brood rearing begins the size of the brood nest quickly equals or surpasses that of Italian colonies. A clear misunderstanding of the differences of these two races and the required changes in the management of them has led to many misconceptions about Russian bees.
All members of the RHBA are primarily honey producers some members do local pollinations non one operates as a commercial pollinator. Our largest member, Coy’s Honey Farm Inc., has been sending Russians to the Almonds for about 8 years and they do local pollination of melons in Southeast Missouri. The key to successful pollination is to have adequate numbers of foragers at the time of bloom. The tendency of Russians to stop brood production in times of dearth can be challenging but again, this is a management strategy that is unique to the region, time of year, and crop. The ability to build populations quickly, more quickly than Italians, should make Russians well suited for pollination. If you know the window of time when you will need peak numbers of foragers for the pollinated crop then you should be able to calculate when to begin feeding, so you colonies will peak in conjunction with the crop. Almond pollination presents a challenge to this concept because the middle of winter is the time when you typically need to stimulate brood rearing. Many beekeepers feed pollen patties and syrup during the winter. This often leads to an increase of Varroa mite population in addition to other health problems. The Coy’s are able to keep their bees in Arkansas until January. Many of the more northern beekeepers are not able to do this and must move their bees in the fall. Russian bees can overwinter in smaller clusters than Italians but they do not always do so. If there is sufficient nectar and pollen in the fall they will build a sufficient winter population that allows them to winter and still have enough bees to cover 8 frames of bees in the Almonds.
The key to pollination is having enough bees at the time of pollination. The following information demonstrates that Russian bees are comparable to Italians and with a few management changes can be used for commercial pollination.
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Area-Wide Demonstrations
The USDA-ARS conducted a two year comparison of Russian and Italian bees in a commercial pollination operation. The annual pollination circuit involved:
Conclusion: Russian bees performed as well as the control stock used by the beekeeper. |
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Many pollination contracts are based on the number of frames of bees. The graph below shows the average number of frames of bees per hive during a 10 month period. As you can see the number of frames of brood in the Russian colonies is comparable to the Italian or control colonies in each month except September. The lower frame count in September of the Russians is typical of the relatively smaller (not a small cluster) winter cluster typically associated with Russians. As for meeting a pollination contract, note that during both May and February there were not significant differences between the two. You should have no problem meeting a 6 frame contract. If your contract requires a 8 frame average you will likely have to sort out the small clusters and adjust how many colonies you can provide. Just remember you will have more colonies survive the winter than the Italian beekeepers.
If you are still concerned that you will not have enough colonies to meet you contract you can do a little supplemental feeding to meet your needs. Hives that are fed syrup in the fall and winter to rebuild stores so they can make it through the winter is represented below by the Fed Minimally row.
These hives typically receive one to three gallons of syrup and receive no additional feedings. The average size of the hive is almost 6 frames of bees (no problem meeting that 6 frame contract). You will still be able to fulfill an 8 frame with 45% of you colonies and they will actually have 9 frames of bees. If you are shooting for more than 8 frames you will only have 27% of you hives grade out for those contracts. If you keep a ultra slow drip of feed on the hives then 74% of the hives will make the grade for better than an 8 frame average.
Switching to Russian honeybees is not for everyone. If you are satisfied with your current management strategy and honey production then Russians are not for you. But if you want to decrease your dependence on miticides and continue to produce honey then give Russian bees a try. Remember change is difficult and your management skills will be the most limiting factors for success with Russian bees.
Use Russians; manage your bees, not your mites.
Use Russians; manage your bees, not your mites.
