Easy Steps

摘要

Through my lifelong experiences in agriculture and as a beekeeper, I have sometimes observed conflict between my fellow apiarists and row-crop farmers. For legitimate reasons, beekeepers are very protective of their apiaries, and farmers need crop protection products to battle pests in their fields. These two goals can sometimes lead to conflict, with beekeepers worrying about the health of their colonies and farmers viewing managed beehives as an annoyance they are forced to consider when managing their crops. However, as in most conflicts, communication and education go a long way in helping row-crop farmers co-exist peaceably with their beekeeping neighbors.An important point to remember is that bees and row-crops are mutually beneficial to one another. Despite the fact that soybeans are self pollinated, studies have shown yield increases of over 15% when fields are in the vicinity of managed apiaries. Honey bees also benefit from having soybeans on which to forage, and the crop provides a reliable pollen and nectar source throughout the summer, even when other flowers may not be blooming. As with food consumed by humans, all pollen sources are not equal in their nutritional value. Soybean pollen is high quality and contains many antioxidants which contribute favorably to colony health. Consumption of these antioxidants helps the bees survive exposure to toxins that they may encounter while foraging.