# Pollinator Sanctuary



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

I visited a pollinator sanctuary yesterday - Essentially it is a certified organic wild blueberry farm where land not suitable for production (primarily due to slope and proximity to a million gallon pond {in other words wet}) has been allowed to grow wild instead of being mowed several times a year to keep looking neat. There were bumbles galore - some varieties not frequently seen. There was one hive of Honey bees is a 3 deep configuration in Styrofoam boxes had not been inspected or treated for anything in the last 7 years. (Though the third box is apparently a newish addition) The owners felt that the HB survival (and they know enough to understand that the hive has most likely been reoccupied) is primarily due to the forage environment that has been created for them.

Most of the plants that have grown are native volunteers. The farmers have worked to spread milkweed - primarily common, some swamp and hybrids between the two. They have plans to establish some butterfly weed and it is not clear to me if they have found some on the property or if they are bringing it in.

All of the pollination of their berries is done by the on-site pollinators - pollination and production has been good the last few years though I did not discuss yield numbers with them.

My question for the Board is given the range Honey bees will fly to forage, how much "sanctuary" or areas cultivated for flying season bee forage are needed to "keep the bees home", and away from neighboring conventionally managed farmland?

https://www.facebook.com/PeakedMountainFarm


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

I have read that the bees will forage in a 3 mi. radius.
So it is limited to their foraging range. Given enough land I would
plant more trees and scatter the bee hives through out the fruit farm.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Interesting. I had thought bees would forage further - the distance I have used when talking with folks is 3-5 miles; five miles being what is used for organic honey standards. I've got some research ahead of me tonight.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

I have read 5 miles, but only when necessary. If I am understanding correctly, you wish to know how small or large would a place need to be, given that the forage is dense enough, to keep the bees home. I would like to know that as well.
Me and my bees are on forty acres, which is only one quarter mile square. 

Alex


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Let's be a bit realistic here. The foragers know that their day light hour is
valuable. They will maximize their foraging in the minimal time and distance when possible. 
If you have a 40 acre fruit trees sanctuary then they will stay within their hive distance to
maximize on pulling in the resources. When my Borage and buckwheat bloom within 30' from the
hives they concentrate full strength on collecting there and no where else.
Consider the queen bee can fly up to 5-8 mi. on her mating flight, it is hard to keep out the commercial
farm bees if they are nearby.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

How many acres of Borage and buckwheat do you have? Also, how many bees would you estimate?
It's about four miles from me to any managed bees. There are also no row crop farming ops near me.

Alex


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

I am fairly certain the concern of the sanctuary is not to keep the commercial bees out, but to minimize or keep their bees from being exposed to various ag chemicals on the nearby farms. I'm of two minds on the manicured, derocked, weed free, blueberry fields we have around here. I cringe at the native pollinator habitat destruction but at the same time am grateful there is nothing to attract my bees to the fields when ag chemicals are applied post or pre bloom. (I was out in my blueberry field yesterday cutting Alder and Birch in an effort to keep the field open. That is a never ending battle. I'm less concerned about the wild roses, asters and goldenrod. Sweet fern I could do without.)


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

This study says bee forage based on need as far as 9km (5.6 miles). They "read" waggle dances to see where the bees were going.

Beekman, M. and Ratnieks, F. L. W. (2000), Long-range foraging by the honey-bee, _Apis mellifera_ L. Functional Ecology, 14: 490–496. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00443 (available via Google Scholar)


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