**4. Results**

*Modern Beekeeping - Bases for Sustainable Production*

strong increase compared to 1976.

of the beekeeper.

**3.2 Apidological aspects**

c.What is the average cost borne by the beekeeper for feeding the honey bee colony in order to obtain strong colonies early in the season. The data on the costs of big beekeeping operations for the year 2018 reported by Sumner and Champetier [37] show that the cost of the food purchased suffered a very

d.How many kilometers the beekeeper travels to manage the movements of his bee colonies; this is a significant aspect for measuring the migratory footprint

e.Whether the beekeeper is interested in securing his honey bee colonies. This is an economic aspect of primary importance. In the last few decades, the role of insurance has grown enormously in many productive sectors of alpine agriculture, especially in those afflicted by adverse climatic conditions or plant diseases. Surprisingly, in apiculture the insurance instrument has not found wide applications (at least in Italy) although the effects of climatic adversities

The intensification of apple cultivation, even in the Val di Non, has made the survival of local not managed pollinators difficult due to the drastic reduction of the flora capable of supplying pollen and nectar, for the reduction of nesting and overwintering sites for some bees and even more for the use of agrochemicals. The presence of not managed Apoidea is generally very scarce in intensively cultivated areas. Stable populations of Apoidea and other wild pollinators are present only in areas adjacent to meadows, pastures, and forests [38]. However, these populations provide a limited contribution because they have normally reduced mobility, not exceeding 80–100 m of home range. Since the cultivation of the apple tree in Val di Non follows linearly the path of the Noce river forming on the two sides of the river strips of variable width often fragmented by areas of natural vegetation, the presence of not managed pollinators in apple orchards is closely related to their ability to reach them from adjacent areas that depends on the width of these strips. The immediate implication of the peculiar apple orchard cultivation configuration in Val di Non, in relation to the management of the commercial pollination service, is that the stocking density to be applied is not uniform but varies according to the need for integration of "natural" pollination. The choice of stocking density to be applied in order to optimize the pollination of the apple orchards must carefully consider the level of robustness of the honey bee colonies. In fact, the pollination potential of the honey bee colonies depends both on the number of foraging bees as well as on their health status. Each bee is able to make 3–10 daily flights, during which it can visit up to 3000 flowers [39]. Since the health status is difficult to estimate quickly and economically, the pollination contract is limited to prescribing, if provided, the minimum strength (population) of the colonies quantified on

At the beginning of the spring season, i.e., at the end of the wintering period, honey bee colonies have a poor robustness, and beekeepers must reinforce them with artificial preventive nutrition or enter the market to buy colonies or brood combs. Among the apidological aspects submitted to beekeepers in the question-

a.If they proceed to balance the colonies of honey bees before the pollination of

have become increasingly evident in the last few years.

the basis of the number of "inhabited" frames/combs.

naire, the following are the most relevant:

the apple orchards.

**40**

The responding beekeepers manage on average 93.3 honey bee colonies. Thirty beekeepers have less than 80 honey bee colonies with an average of 27.9. The remaining 13 beekeepers with more than 80 honey bee colonies have an average of 244.2. All beekeepers with less than 80 honey bee colonies have their headquarters in the local area, specifically in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, while the remaining 13 come from other Italian regions. It follows that the size classes and the classes of origin coincide. Overall, the responding beekeepers have in total 4011 honey bee colonies; those from outside the region have only 3175 colonies that are almost 80% of the total number. The "local" beekeepers therefore prevail numerically over the others, but they are minority in terms of colonies of honey bees possessed.

With regard to the economic aspects (see **Table 1**, Section 1), a clear majority percentage (95.2%) of the responding beekeepers declares that they plan the migration itinerary ex ante. The percentage reaches 100% for the beekeeper with over 80 honey colonies. This result supports the basic assumption of the model of the migratory beekeeper on the planning of the movement sequence at the beginning of the year.

Most beekeepers (61.9%) believe that the strength of the honey bee colony should affect highly the pollination fee paid for pollination of the apple tree (see **Table 1**, Section 2). This percentage is low compared to the importance attributed to balancing the honey bee colonies; it could be distorted due to the convenience of beekeepers with less robust honey bee colonies to declare the parameter irrelevant.

The distance traveled by beekeepers takes into account not only the movements of bee colonies but also the visits to apiaries located at various sites during the season. Responding beekeepers traveled (see **Table 1**, Section 3) an average of 6650 km during 2018 (both for pollination services and honey production). The distance traveled by beekeepers with less than 80 honey bee colonies is much lower, being on average 3538 km. Beekeeper with more than 80 colonies traveled an average of 13,592 km during 2018. The greater distance traveled by beekeepers belonging to the latter size class finds an easy explanation in their origin from outside the region and in their farm size. The reduced number of kilometers traveled by beekeepers with

less than 80 honey bee colonies shows that these beekeepers have a weak migration footprint.

The average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding stands at 19.1 €/colony, being higher for beekeepers with less than 80 colonies (21.1 €/colony) and minor (14.7 €/colony) for those with a higher number. It is surprising that the big beekeeping operations have a lower average cost for feeding the colony than the small ones. The first possible explanation of the difference is the amount of food provided to honey bees, and the second one is that beekeepers with less than 80 colony pay a higher price because they buy smaller quantities.

In total 72.1% of beekeepers declare an interest in securing honey bee colonies being the 92.3% within the beekeepers belonging to the class with more than 80 colonies. This high percentage is a good starting point to implement an insurance strategy suitable on the needs of beekeepers.

Regarding the apidolological aspects, almost all (95.3%) the responding beekeepers balance their honey bee colonies before the apple pollination service. The percentage reaches 100% for beekeepers with more than 80 colonies.

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period in the 2-year period 2017/2018 and 2017/2019 amounted to the average of 11.9% (see **Table 1**, Section 3). This is a lower percentage than that documented by the Coloss survey [29] for European beekeepers, which reached an average of 16.4% during winter 2017/2018 with variations from 2.0 to 32.8% between countries. Beekeepers with a number of colonies greater than 80 undergo winter losses that are lower in percentage (10.3%) than in those with a lower number of colonies (12.5%). This result is aligned with that of the Coloss survey.

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered by beekeepers during the productive, summertime period, with few exceptions, are less than 5% in the area under investigation (see **Table 1**, Section 2). The overall average loss of honey bee colonies during the 2-year period considered therefore remains less than 16.9%.

Only 19% of interviewed beekeepers consider the risk of spread of honey bee diseases as significant due to the movement and the subsequent concentration of honey bee colonies. This risk is considered irrelevant or low by 92.4% of beekeepers with more than 80 honey bee colonies.

To the question of whether commercial hybrids represent an opportunity, the answers "do not" and "don't know" are on a par with 41.9 and 41.8%. Only 16.3% of beekeepers believe that commercial hybrids are an opportunity. However, the answers to this question are very different in the two size classes. 30.7% of beekeepers with more than 80 honey bee colonies compared to a meager 10.3% of beekeepers of the other size class believe that commercial hybrids are an opportunity. 47.7% of beekeepers with less than 80 bee colonies and 30.8% of the other size class do not know how to answer this question, demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the subject.

#### **4.1 Discussion**

The survey carried out using the questionnaire highlighted some interesting differences between migratory beekeeping implemented in the Val di Non for pollination of apple orchards and the pollination service conducted in other beekeeping contexts such as the USA. The major differences concern the average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding, the risk of spread of honey bee diseases, and the losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period. These differences derive both from the specific morphological and climatic conditions of the Val di Non and from the main address and the size of the beekeeping operations involved in the pollination service. The Val di Non is a typical alpine valley where the apple

**43**

**5. Conclusions**

pollination service.

*Commercial Pollination of Apple Orchards: Val di Non Case Study*

medium-sized, more flexible, and dynamic beekeeping operations.

orchards are of small extension and the altitudinal variability generates a straightness of blooms. It is therefore necessary to move the honey bee colonies from one site to the next one in rapid succession, and this obviously favors small- and

The average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding stands in Val di Non at 19.1 €/hive, a value much lower than that reported by Sumner and Champetier [37], equal to 50.21 \$/hive, referred, however, to large-scale commercial migratory beekeepers (1000 hive operation) from California. The differences between the two contexts make the data for the cost for the honey bee colony feeding difficult to compare even if they refer to the same year (2018). The small size of beekeeping operations that support the commercial pollination of apple orchards in Val di Non probably favors greater efficiency in the management of honey bee colonies, and, on the other hand, the main production address (honey production) does not allow the use of large artificial feeds before the production season, in order not to contaminate the honey product with noncompliant sugars and not to stimulate

Almost all the beekeepers that support the commercial pollination of the apple orchards in Val di Non balance their honey bee colonies before the apple pollination. Beekeeping in North America, in particular that aimed at the large-scale pollination service, does not provide for colony balancing, but on the contrary, these, kept in hives of different conception, are divided before the migration. The most common hives used by North American beekeepers are multi-nest body Langstroth hives, while in Italy the most common ones are the Dadant-Blatt hives with single nest body. With these hives the balancing and moderate feeding of the honey bee colonies before their displacement in cultivated agricultural areas are normal in Italy in order to anticipate their demographic development and after that to better perform

The risk of spread of honey bee diseases due to the concentration of honey bee colonies is considered irrelevant by beekeepers interviewed above all by those who have more than 80 honey bee colonies. It is a result in contrast with the resonance that this problem has aroused in the USA and Australia. Most likely, the concentration of a few thousand bee colonies in an area of about 6000 ha that develops linearly along the two sides of the Val di Non is not perceived by the responding

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period in the 2-year period 2017/2018 and 2017/2019 assumes a lower average value than that documented by the Coloss survey [33] for European beekeepers. Winter losses are lower in percentage for the large-scale beekeeping operations than in those with a higher number of colonies. The greater distance traveled annually by large beekeeping operations for the transfer of honey bee colonies between forage sites therefore does not exercise the feared negative effect in the opinion of beekeepers who support

The pollination of the apple orchards in Val di Non has peculiar characteristics that make it a case of study: the orography and landscape structure could favor the integration between "natural" pollination and "managed pollination"; pollination of apple orchards is managed in a cooperative manner and not by each farmer; and the pollination of the apple tree is also supported by the honey bee colonies managed by small local beekeepers not contractually involved in the

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90429*

swarming.

pollination and honey production.

beekeepers as a real risk of spread of honey bee diseases.

pollination of the apple orchards in Val di Non.

#### *Commercial Pollination of Apple Orchards: Val di Non Case Study DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90429*

*Modern Beekeeping - Bases for Sustainable Production*

higher price because they buy smaller quantities.

strategy suitable on the needs of beekeepers.

aligned with that of the Coloss survey.

with more than 80 honey bee colonies.

footprint.

less than 80 honey bee colonies shows that these beekeepers have a weak migration

The average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding stands at 19.1 €/colony, being higher for beekeepers with less than 80 colonies (21.1 €/colony) and minor (14.7 €/colony) for those with a higher number. It is surprising that the big beekeeping operations have a lower average cost for feeding the colony than the small ones. The first possible explanation of the difference is the amount of food provided to honey bees, and the second one is that beekeepers with less than 80 colony pay a

In total 72.1% of beekeepers declare an interest in securing honey bee colonies being the 92.3% within the beekeepers belonging to the class with more than 80 colonies. This high percentage is a good starting point to implement an insurance

Regarding the apidolological aspects, almost all (95.3%) the responding beekeepers balance their honey bee colonies before the apple pollination service. The

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period in the 2-year period 2017/2018 and 2017/2019 amounted to the average of 11.9% (see **Table 1**, Section 3). This is a lower percentage than that documented by the Coloss survey [29] for European beekeepers, which reached an average of 16.4% during winter 2017/2018 with variations from 2.0 to 32.8% between countries. Beekeepers with a number of colonies greater than 80 undergo winter losses that are lower in percentage (10.3%) than in those with a lower number of colonies (12.5%). This result is

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered by beekeepers during the productive, summertime period, with few exceptions, are less than 5% in the area under investigation (see **Table 1**, Section 2). The overall average loss of honey bee colonies

Only 19% of interviewed beekeepers consider the risk of spread of honey bee diseases as significant due to the movement and the subsequent concentration of honey bee colonies. This risk is considered irrelevant or low by 92.4% of beekeepers

To the question of whether commercial hybrids represent an opportunity, the answers "do not" and "don't know" are on a par with 41.9 and 41.8%. Only 16.3% of beekeepers believe that commercial hybrids are an opportunity. However, the answers to this question are very different in the two size classes. 30.7% of beekeepers with more than 80 honey bee colonies compared to a meager 10.3% of beekeepers of the other size class believe that commercial hybrids are an opportunity. 47.7% of beekeepers with less than 80 bee colonies and 30.8% of the other size class do not know how to answer this question, demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the

The survey carried out using the questionnaire highlighted some interesting differences between migratory beekeeping implemented in the Val di Non for pollination of apple orchards and the pollination service conducted in other beekeeping contexts such as the USA. The major differences concern the average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding, the risk of spread of honey bee diseases, and the losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period. These differences derive both from the specific morphological and climatic conditions of the Val di Non and from the main address and the size of the beekeeping operations involved in the pollination service. The Val di Non is a typical alpine valley where the apple

during the 2-year period considered therefore remains less than 16.9%.

percentage reaches 100% for beekeepers with more than 80 colonies.

**42**

subject.

**4.1 Discussion**

orchards are of small extension and the altitudinal variability generates a straightness of blooms. It is therefore necessary to move the honey bee colonies from one site to the next one in rapid succession, and this obviously favors small- and medium-sized, more flexible, and dynamic beekeeping operations.

The average annual cost for the honey bee colony feeding stands in Val di Non at 19.1 €/hive, a value much lower than that reported by Sumner and Champetier [37], equal to 50.21 \$/hive, referred, however, to large-scale commercial migratory beekeepers (1000 hive operation) from California. The differences between the two contexts make the data for the cost for the honey bee colony feeding difficult to compare even if they refer to the same year (2018). The small size of beekeeping operations that support the commercial pollination of apple orchards in Val di Non probably favors greater efficiency in the management of honey bee colonies, and, on the other hand, the main production address (honey production) does not allow the use of large artificial feeds before the production season, in order not to contaminate the honey product with noncompliant sugars and not to stimulate swarming.

Almost all the beekeepers that support the commercial pollination of the apple orchards in Val di Non balance their honey bee colonies before the apple pollination. Beekeeping in North America, in particular that aimed at the large-scale pollination service, does not provide for colony balancing, but on the contrary, these, kept in hives of different conception, are divided before the migration. The most common hives used by North American beekeepers are multi-nest body Langstroth hives, while in Italy the most common ones are the Dadant-Blatt hives with single nest body. With these hives the balancing and moderate feeding of the honey bee colonies before their displacement in cultivated agricultural areas are normal in Italy in order to anticipate their demographic development and after that to better perform pollination and honey production.

The risk of spread of honey bee diseases due to the concentration of honey bee colonies is considered irrelevant by beekeepers interviewed above all by those who have more than 80 honey bee colonies. It is a result in contrast with the resonance that this problem has aroused in the USA and Australia. Most likely, the concentration of a few thousand bee colonies in an area of about 6000 ha that develops linearly along the two sides of the Val di Non is not perceived by the responding beekeepers as a real risk of spread of honey bee diseases.

The losses of honey bee colonies suffered in the winter period in the 2-year period 2017/2018 and 2017/2019 assumes a lower average value than that documented by the Coloss survey [33] for European beekeepers. Winter losses are lower in percentage for the large-scale beekeeping operations than in those with a higher number of colonies. The greater distance traveled annually by large beekeeping operations for the transfer of honey bee colonies between forage sites therefore does not exercise the feared negative effect in the opinion of beekeepers who support pollination of the apple orchards in Val di Non.
