# apple Pollination



## matt1954 (Sep 8, 2010)

I need a little advice. This is my first Apple Pollination. Have done others, but not apples. Grower says bees are only needed one to two weeks. Would like it priced accordingly. From those of you who pollinate apples, don't you usually have bees on bloom for a month? If not, do you modify the price of the rental? It seems to me one week or four, its the same amount of work loading and unloading and setting the hives. 

In addition, any advice/issues to watch would be appreciated. thanks

Jerry


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

The service you are providing is installing and removing your hives when the grower wants them. No difference whether they are on site for two weeks of four. It's the placing and removing that you are getting paid for, besides the colonies being up to the job.

So, I would quote a price for the term of placement no matter how long or short a period of time that is.

I recall one year that I put hives in apple orchards in NY and then took off for SC to get the rest of my bees only to get a call that the orchards wanted them out when I got down into PA, 1/4 the way there, one week after putting them in the orchards. So I went back and pulled them out.

Don't argue w/ your grower, just stick to a price worthwhile to you. Other than that one time my hives are usually in apples for three weeks or more. From the time the King Blossom opens until the last petal hits the ground.

How experienced is your grower? How big an orchard? What kind of apples? Are they some special variety that doesn't have a long bloom period? Not that any of that is really your concern. The apple grower wants bees and you want to get paid to put them in when he wants them and then take them out when he wants them out. That's how I look at it.


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## azbees (Jul 23, 2011)

The longer the sit in apples the more u are losing on honey or other pollination services. So to me time they sit does play a factor in the fee.


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## AstroZomBEE (Aug 1, 2006)

Apples predominately is 10 - 14 days, but as all things agriculture depends on the sun. I've had years as short as 5 days, and some that last 30, but the majority of the time 10-14 is the normal. 

Also judging the length isn't hard either I can normally predict when the bloom will be over as good as the grower just by watching the forecast and keeping track of temperatures. And I talk with my growers 2/week keeping track of their bloom progress. Don't wait for them to call you, you call them and the scheduling will be a lot smoother.

Find out at what percentage of petal drop does the grower release? If they hold out till 100% petal drop then that can prolong the amount of time the bees set there. However most growers can't wait that long to get the petal drop spray on so they normally call you around 85% petal drop to schedule removal in hopes they are gone by the time they hit 90 -95% petal drop.

Also the variety of apples they are growing will make a difference.


As for price I do apple pollination on a rather large scale and I charge $55/hive(including Virginia). I base my price more off of how hard the spreading is. If they want one pallet every 100 yards it is more moving for me. If they allow me to put groups of pallets down in one spot I give them discounts. I have a few growers who unload the truck and spread all of the hives with their own tractors, I give them an even bigger discount.

Something else to ask your grower is if he has wagons. I place quite a few pallets of bees on wagons at one central location and the grower will then have them pulled to where he wants them placed for the duration of the pollination. The egress works in reverse, bringing the wagons all back to one central location to load them back up.


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## MNbees (May 27, 2013)

I also pollinate apples on a sort of large scale and i charge $70. Dont under cut yourself with price. Plan the bees being there at least 3 weeks. It doesnt hurt, lots of dandilions in apple orchards!!
But when the the time comes to get them out, get them out or they will be sprayed with Sevin. 
doesnt kill the whole colony but does knock them back on population. 
If you are a honey producer than the last thing you want is to set your hives back in the spring, especially for a measly 50 bucks.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

I only pollinate a couple of organic orchards. I lost too many hives in the apple orchards and the subsequent summer. those fungicides and sprays are too deadly for me. I charge $100/hive but these are small orchards that only need 4 or 5 hives.


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## essentialhoneybees (Mar 14, 2014)

Hi! I'm from California. I am looking to pollinate apple. What is the current charge per hive? And where would be the best place to find contracts? Thanks!


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I had mine on a hobby orchard last year. He told me that if I leave them there too long he ends up with a bunch of tiny cider apples, or he has to thin. He was pretty excited about it so I showed interest and asked him questions but I do not remember all answers.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

I have dropped them off went home and 2 days later told to come get them. Apples are so quick you could blink and miss it.


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