Misunderstandings between grower and beekeeper can occur. Written, signed agreements can specify the conditions which protect the interests of both parties. These are better than verbal agreements and handshakes. A solicitor may be consulted, especially if a legal document is to include penalties for non-compliance of the contract.
The use of an agreement requires quite a degree of trust between the parties. The grower has to pay the agreed amount to the beekeeper for delivery of a professional pollination service. The beekeeper has to supply colonies that conform with, or exceed, the agreed minimum standard
for the number of frames of brood and bees. It is not good enough to supply boxes with a few bees flying in and out of the hive. The grower may request that hives be opened to determine if they conform to the agreement.
The following agreement has been used in southern Victoria for spring flowering fruit tree crops and is included as a guide only. The amount of brood present in an overwintering hive will depend on the prevailing seasonal conditions. For very early flowering crops it may not be possible for hives to have the amount of brood detailed in the agreement and this should be discussed with the grower.
POLLINATION AGREEMENT FOR SEASON 20_ _
Beekeeper Grower
Name: . . . Name: . . . . Address: . . . Address: . . . . Telephone: . . . Telephone: . . . . Number of hives ordered . . . Date of Delivery . . . .
Minimum colony strength
As a minimum, bee colonies shall have six combs of brood well covered with bees. If colony strength is in dispute, within five days of delivery the grower may request an inspection of the colonies. If a colony is found to be under minimum strength, the beekeeper shall pay any inspection cost. Where a colony meets or exceeds the minimum standard, the inspection cost shall be paid by the grower. If a hive has less than the minimum strength then either:
(a) a replacement hive shall be provided, or
(b) the hive may be removed and no fee shall be payable.
Crop name and fee per colony.
1 . . . $ . . . . 2 . . . $ . . . . 3 . . . $ . . . .
Location of crop . . . . Distribution pattern of hives shall be . . .
The Grower agrees
1. To give _____ days notice to bring colonies into the crop.
2. To give _____ days notice to take colonies out of the crop.
3. To pay in full within _____ days after the completion of pollination period, or pay deposit of $ _____ within _____ days of placement of hives in the orchard and the remainder within _____ days of the completion of the pollination period.
4. To use no chemical without notifying the beekeeper at least 48 hours in advance.
5. To not damage hive material during operation of orchard equipment.
6. To not move or handle hives, or allow this to be done, without permission of the beekeeper.
7. To allow the beekeeper unrestricted access to property for ongoing hive management.
8. To assist the beekeeper with distribution and later removal of hives in the crop when requested.
Signed . . . Date . . . . Grower
The Beekeeper agrees
1. To ensure that colonies are healthy at the time of delivery and that they conform to the minimum standard agreed by the grower and beekeeper.
2. To ensure that colonies are properly maintained in good condition while pollinating the crop.
3. To open and demonstrate the strength of colonies randomly selected by the grower.
4. To leave the bees in the crop for a period for effective
pollination estimated to be approximately ... days but not later than date __________ after which day the bees will be removed or the contract be extended at $ _____ per day.
Signed . . . Date . . . . Beekeeper
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Biosecurity
Be wary of any hives left on a property that have died or are neglected as they may be diseased. Seek permission to inspect them before locating your own bees on the property.
Pesticides and bees
Severe losses of foragers and hive bees can occur when pesticides hazardous to bees are used in areas where bees are foraging, or flying over to reach suitable flora. Losses of bees can seriously reduce the pollination potential of a colony, and later honey and beeswax production. In severe cases, the colony may weaken and die.
While insecticides are hazardous to bees, some losses of bees have been reported when large scale spraying of herbicides has occurred. Some fungicides have been shown to be toxic to bee larvae. The hazard may be increased when two or more chemicals are mixed together, even though one or both are considered safe when applied individually.
Bees may be poisoned when they forage for nectar and pollen on contaminated flowers, contact sprayed foliage, fly through spray drift and drink contaminated water, including contaminated dew on sprayed foliage. They die mostly in the field, or shortly after they arrive back at the hive. In the latter case, when many bees are affected, large numbers of them may be seen dying outside the hive entrance. Some may be seen crawling away from the hive.
When contaminated pollen is stored in the hive, some deaths may occur over a long period of time as the pollen is consumed by bees and fed to brood.
The regular application of sprays in orchards means that bees foraging on weeds growing beneath the trees are at considerable risk even though the trees are not in bloom.
A written agreement can provide some protection for bees while they are pollinating the crop. The grower can confirm in writing that hazardous pesticides will not be applied while the bees are on-site. However, the agreement does not apply to adjacent growers. The beekeeper should advise neighbouring growers of the location of the bees and request that they give notice of their intention to apply sprays which are hazardous to bees. Insist that they give you at least 48 hours notice so that there is time for you to move the hives to a safe area to avoid losses of bees.
Leave your name and telephone number (mobile and landline) with each grower, because if hazardous pesticide application is imminent a quick contact is vital. Also, place these details on one or more hives that may be easily seen by the grower, just in case he/she has mislaid your details. A stand-alone sign near the hives is strongly recommended.
A well-placed, eye-catching sign can attract the attention of people who pass by. It can alert nearby growers that bees are on the property and also encourage them to advise the beekeeper of any intent to apply chemical sprays. A template for a biosecurity sign is available at the honey bee section of the Plant Health Australia website www.phau.com.au.
This biosecurity sign displays the contact details of the owner of the hives.
Photo courtesy Sam Malfroy, Plant Health Australia
Beekeepers can use an on-line Pesticide risk management plan and a form Notification of beehives in your area detailed in the first reference below (Connelly 2012).
If hives cannot be moved, encourage growers to use chemicals which have a low, or moderate, hazard to bees.
Additionally, and where possible, they should also have a short period of residual effect.
If chemicals with a long residual effect must be used, the beekeeper should move the bees to a safe area at least five, and preferably ten kilometres, away and return them only after the residual activity of the chemical has dissipated.
Information on the toxicity and residual effect of chemicals can be obtained from the chemical manufacturer and in some cases, the chemical product label.
Confining bees in their hives until the residual effect of the chemical has dissipated is an extremely dangerous practice.
Colonies can quickly smother and die when shut in the hive, even when the temperature outside the hive is relatively cool. This is because bees panic and race inside the hive, creating heat.
Many pesticides are hazardous to bees.
18. Honey bee pollination
Australian Beekeeping Guide 123
If colonies suffer insecticide damage, remove any dead bees from inside the hive so that the entrance does not become blocked, thereby restricting ventilation and flight. Move the hives to good nectar and pollen build-up flows to enable the colonies to restore bee numbers. If necessary, requeen the hive with a young vigorous queen. If build-up conditions are not available, supplementary sugar and pollen feeding may be necessary to prevent starvation and to encourage brood rearing.
When colonies are damaged by pesticides, some beekeepers generally don’t return to provide pollination services in subsequent years.
Additional information
Connelly D 2012. Honeybee pesticide poisoning: a risk management tool for Australian farmers and beekeepers.
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/12-043
Goodwin M 2012. Pollination of crops in Australia and New Zealand. https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/12-059 Keogh R, Robinson A & Mullins I 2010. Pollination Aware.
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/collections/poll McGregor, SE. 1976. Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants. United States Department of Agriculture.
Washington, DC, USA. This book is available online at http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/53420300/
OnlinePollinationHandbook.pdf
Plant Health Australia BeeAware website
(www.beeaware.org.au) contains information about pollination of crops and how beekeepers and growers can work together to provide and receive best practice pollination services. http://www.planthealthaustralia.com.
au/industries/honey-bees
Somerville D 2005. Fat Bees Skinny Bees – a manual on honey bee nutrition for beekeepers.
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/05-054
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