Syngenta Bioline Bees BV based at Weert in The Netherlands have been producing high quality bumblebees since 1991. The SBB hive is a "total system" which contains bee food and pollen to ensure consistent performance over an extended period. The hives are produced, according to various specifications depending on the target crop and growing system.
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Pollination
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The design of the SBB hives has been continuously improved based on field experience, no maintenance is required with a self-feeding sugar system and a simple bee-lock for flight management. Supplementary freeze dried pollen is available for feeding in case of delayed flowering or low pollen availability.
Hives are produced to suit different crops and situations for example Tomatoes, Soft fruit, Aubergine, Melon, Courgette or Pepper. Standard hives with or without insulation. Triple hives, Booster hives, with or without sugar
To ensure that you use the correct choice of hive consult your Syngenta Bioline distributor.
See reverse side for placement instructions and general information. Placement schedules are custom-designed for your needs by our representatives.
Storage and transport
Transport and store at 12-16°C in an upright position. Hives are bulk packed in ventilated boxes.
Keep in the dark. Avoid disturbance and vibration.
Keep out of direct sunlight.
Place in greenhouse within 18 hours of receipt.
Do not open for 2 hours after receipt
Syngenta Bioline Ltd
Telstar Nursery, Holland Road
Little Clacton, Essex CO16 9QG, England
Tel +44 (0) 1255 863 200
Fax +44 (0) 1255 863 206
Flowers need to be pollinated to maximise fruit quality and yield. Most tomato crops, and indoor strawberries and soft fruit crops are pollinated using bumblebees as a result of the significant impact on yield and fruit set.
Bumblebees require sugar for flight energy and feeding their colony. They require pollen as a protein source for reproduction. Since tomato flowers have little nectar, a supplement is required in the hive to maintain colony growth. The efficiency of a hive in a greenhouse depends on the successful growth of the bee colony. The ability of the bumblebee to collect and transfer pollen, and the pollen content of flowers are affected by cultivation techniques.
The amount of water given to the plants can affect the quality of the pollen and hence the development of the hive itself. Water stress and high temperatures cause bad pollen. If the plants are watered at the wrong time and temperature is increased, the flowers may become wet with dew and the pollen becomes "sticky", Bumblebees will lose interest in sticky pollen, adding new hives will not improve pollination. When an extra stem is allowed to develop, there will be a short period with a lot of flowers. If bumblebees can’t keep up with the extra flowers, it is advisable to put in some extra hives. Flowers pointing to the sky, flowers with a faded yellow colour or if the pistel is outside the flower are not attractive to bumblebees. They will tend to visit optimal flowers to improve their own foraging efficiency.
All hives are supplied with a lifetime reservoir of sugar water, which requires no maintenance. All hives have broods in all life stages. Insulation is also available on request. For hive schedules, please consult your technical advisor.
Code 0251-02: 1 queen, ±100 workers, no males, no young queens, used as starters in tomatoes, eggplants, strawberries, peppers and seed cultivation.
Code 0251-01: 1 queen, ±60 workers, no males, no young queens, the standard tomato hive.
Code 0251-03: 30-40 workers
e.g. Triple Hives, Booster Hives etc. are available on request.
Remove yellow hive boxes from shipping box. Leave the restraining straps in place. Keep the hives upright at all times and place them immediately in their final positions in the greenhouse. Make sure there is nothing in front of the flight hole. If the hives are centralised, do not place all the flight holes in the same direction. Never let the sun shine directly into the flight hole. Place the hives low in the crop where there is enough shadow, and not high above the crop in the sun, but not in a cold place. Wait at least 2 hours for the bees to settle down before opening the flight holes. During hot and sunny weather wait until the sun is low in the sky before opening the flight holes. Place new hives early in the morning or in the evening if possible. Avoid placing hives directly above a CO2 hose outlet, or below a dripping gutter.
Do not move hives after opening the bee-lock. Do not push or disturb the hive. In natural situations some hives will develop better than others anyway. Do not expect identical development of all hives. If in doubt ask an advisor to check a hive. It is not recommended to open a hive. Check for activity after 15 weeks. If it is still active, leave it in place, if not remove it. If you remove a hive from a pile or row, replace it with a new hive in the same spot to avoid confusion by other bees. Hives that run out of sugar water (unlikely) sometimes use other hives as a place to drink. A hive without sugar-water can still be active. The best thing is to replace the sugar-water box. Try to keep ants away from the hives by greasing the poles, or baiting. Use supplementary freeze-dried pollen at the start of the season if flowers are scarce. Some crop protection products are toxic to bumblebees, so hives should be closed and covered during application. Use the bee lock at dusk after bees have returned to the hive.
Consult your account manager or distributor for guidelines.
Pollen Sticks - Bee hive hanging support
Syngenta Bioline Ltd
Telstar Nursery, Holland Road
Little Clacton, Essex CO16 9QG, England
Tel +44 (0) 1255 863 200
Fax +44 (0) 1255 863 206
