[Pollinator] NAPPC NATIONAL BEEKEEPER SURVEY, FORAGING NEEDS OF BEE COLONIES

[Kelly Rourke]

Newly Released! http://pollinator.org/learning-center/beekeeping



*NAPPC NATIONAL BEEKEEPER SURVEY OF THE FORAGING NEEDS OF BEE COLONIES*



The Forage, Nutrition & Roadsides Task Force is a working group of North
American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC <http://pollinator.org/nappc>)
partners tasked with supporting the development of increased acres of bee
forage in key regions, working to increase access to existing potential
forage for beekeepers and developing guidelines for regional seed mixes
that can be used by Departments/Ministries of Transportation to effectively
promote key pollinators along roadsides.



To better understand the amount of forage land needed for managed bee
colonies in non-pollination settings, the Forage, Nutrition & Roadsides
Task Force conducted a survey of U.S. beekeepers between October 2015 and
February 2016. Beekeepers are highly knowledgeable about forage needs in
their specific locations, as they are intimately familiar with the health
of their colonies, the success of breeding, the amount of excess honey
produced and whether supplemental feeding is required at the location. The
survey asked beekeepers to consider forage needs at a specific location
rather than the beekeeper’s general view of forage needs in order to obtain
the most accurate information possible. The survey also asked about forage
needs during winter and summer (January and July) to reflect differences in
available forage.



2,250 beekeepers from 30+ states responded to the survey. Most beekeepers
responded that they need 2-5 acres of forage land per colony at their
southernmost yard in both winter and summer. In every state, the vast
majority of beekeepers responded that they need at least 1 acre of forage
per colony, with 100% of beekeepers so responding in some states.
Nationally, 92% of beekeepers responded that they need at least 1 acre of
forage per colony in summer.



The beekeepers were asked about the types of ecosystems upon which their
managed colonies were foraging. The types of habitats were diverse, ranging
from forest land to pasture land to commercial and residential properties.
Additionally, there was a wide diversity in the plants used as the primary
foraging source. Despite the diversity in habitats and primary forage
sources, however, the average number of acres needed fell within the range
of 4.2 to 6.1 acres per colony. Bees can apparently survive in many diverse
habitats so long as they have sufficient foraging resources to do so.



VIEW THE FULL SURVEY RESULTS HERE
<http://pollinator.org/assets/globals/NAPPC-National-Beekeeper-Forage-Survey.pdf>
!



Kelly Rourke

Program Coordinator

Pollinator Partnership

423 Washington Street, 5th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

e:  kr at pollinator.org

w:  www.pollinator.org

p:  415.362.1137

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