The foraging areas of honey-bee colonies in fruit orchards

The number of bees per tree in an n-acre plum orchard decreased as their distance from 18 colonies near the orchard centre increased until flowering had nearly finished, when the distribution per tree became about even.

In a 30-acre apple orchard a group of nine colonies was put in the centre of each of two adjoining g-acre areas, a group of four colonies in the centre of each of two adjoining 4-acre areas, and a single colony in the centre of each of four adjoining one-acre areas. Bees were consistently fewer midway between the groups than nearer to them when the colonies were in groups of nine, but not when they were in groups of four or singly.

Three colonies were put at each end of a long narrow pear orchard of about four acres. The number of bees per tree decreased toward the centre of the orchard.

It is concluded that colonies for orchard pollination should be sited in small groups, each near the centre of the area it is to pollinate.
RESP-4849