Pear

Recommendations
We recommend using bumblebees in combination with honeybees for the pollination of your pears.
  • We recommend a minimum of 6 bumblebee hives when used in combination with managed honeybee hives
  • We recommend a minimum of 10 outdoor hives in the absence of managed bumblebees
The Biology of Pear

We recommend using bumblebees in combination with honeybees for the pollination of your pears.

Pears (Pyrus communis) produce perfect flowers with both male and female organs. The stigmas mature earlier than the anthers, which is a way of avoiding selfing (when a flower fertilises itself).

Varieties range from self-fertile to self-sterile, and self-fertility can depend on environmental factors. In many situations, a pollinizer variety is inter-planted with the main crop, and cross-pollination is either beneficial or vitally important. Wind is not an effective pollinator of pears. Bumblebees show high mobility within orchards, and are effective cross-pollinators, in many cases much more so than honeybees. Bumblebees are more robust than honeybees, and will pollinate in adverse weather conditions. Research has shown that when bumblebees are used in combination with honeybees, there are increases in both the quantity of seeds per fruit, and the overall yield.

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