Bombus terrestris

Bumblebees belong to the family of bees (Apidae), and the genus Bombus. Bombus terrestris is the most common pollinator sold for horticulture in the Mediterranean countries

POLLINATION IN HORTICULTURE

The commerce of bumblebee hives started in the late 80s, in response to the demand for an agriculture with more sustainable methods.

The reason of using bumblebees is that they are very versatile pollinators, able to successfully operate in the production of almost all crops.

ADVANTAGES

Bumblebees improve crop pollination:

• Greater fruit quality and crop production.
• Labour-saving.
• Less phytosanitary products.

BUMBLEBEES Vs BEES

Bumblebees, more docile indoors, have a remarkable ability to work in comparison with bees:

• They can carry more pollen.
• Because of their larger size, bumblebees allow better contact with the stamens and pistils.
• They can work in precarious conditions, with cloudy sky, strong wind, rain and even at low temperatures between 5 º and 10 º.