Commercial bumblebees colonies

BACKGROUND

Bumblebees have been reared commercially for pollination services since the 1980’s. In this practice, bumblebee colonies are reared in captivity and then individual colonies are shipped around the globe to aid the pollination of crops, especially soft fruits like tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, peppers, etc. The main purchasers are greenhouse operating companies (many greenhouse’s plants are almost exclusively require bumblebee for pollination as they are capable to “buzz pollinate”) and professional agricultural producers where colonies are used for the supplemental pollination services. Growers of the field crops benefit from the fact bumblebees get to work earlier in the year when temperatures are lower, with poor and changeable weather conditions...

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