APPROACH
Our pollination services are built around strong hive management, accurate timing, and clear communication. Colonies are assessed prior to placement to ensure appropriate strength for the crop and flowering conditions, with stocking rates tailored to orchard layout, variety mix, and seasonal factors. Hive placement and removal are planned to align with peak bloom, maximising foraging activity during critical pollination windows. We operate with a strong understanding of South Australian conditions, including heat, drought pressure, and short flowering periods, and prioritise reliability and consistency across every site. Pollination programs are planned to ensure availability and reduce risk during competitive seasons, with growers encouraged to engage early to support effective scheduling and hive allocation.
ALMONDS
Almond production in Australia is critically dependent on managed honey bee pollination. Most almond varieties are not self-fertile and require cross-pollination between pollinator and main varieties to achieve good nut set and maximise yield. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most efficient and widely used pollinators, moving pollen between flowers as they forage during the orchard’s short bloom period. Effective pollination is essential for fruit development, with orchard design, hive strength, and placement all influencing the success of pollen transfer. Ensuring a clear communication chain between beekeeper and grower throughout the bloom period supports hive health, timing, and overall orchard performance. Without sufficient strong colonies, almond yields and crop quality can be severely compromised, making proactive planning and reliable hive management a central part of successful almond production.
CANOLA
Canola (Brassica napus) is an oilseed crop widely grown across temperate regions of southern Australia and is one of the first floral resources available to honey bees in spring. While canola plants are capable of self-pollination, bee activity significantly improves seed set, pod development and overall crop performance by moving pollen between flowers and enhancing the efficiency of fertilisation. Commercial experience and research show that the presence of managed honey bee colonies in canola fields can increase seed yield, even if the crop does not strictly require insects to set seed, and provides bees with abundant nectar and pollen during its flowering period. Honey bees forage actively on canola blossoms when weather conditions are suitable, supporting both crop productivity and colony strength, and making canola a valuable component of managed pollination programs when judicious hive placement and timing are integrated into broader seasonal planning.
CHERRIES
Cherries are highly reliant on effective insect pollination to achieve consistent fruit set and maximise yields. Most commercial sweet cherry varieties require cross-pollination between compatible cultivars, making the transfer of pollen within and between trees essential for fruit development. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most commonly used managed pollinators in cherry orchards and are attracted to both the nectar and pollen of cherry blossoms, visiting flowers repeatedly throughout the bloom period to move pollen efficiently. While multiple pollinator species can contribute to pollination, managed honey bees provide a dependable baseline of activity during peak bloom, especially when hive strength and placement are planned in advance to match orchard conditions. Growers typically introduce hives early in the flowering window to ensure sustained foraging, and adequate hive numbers support better flower visitation and pollination coverage across the orchard. Without sufficient pollination activity, fruit set can be incomplete and yields reduced, so careful coordination between the beekeeper and grower is critical to optimise outcomes.