Pollen availability for honeybees in an agricultural landscape and mitigation of pollen scarcity by planting of bee forage.
Asger Søgaard Jørgensen
Global pollinator crisis.
• Less pollinators • Less acreages with natural flora and nesting sites. • Monocultures in agriculture. • Diseases and parasites of honeybees. • Pesticides in agriculture and beekeeping • Other factors – Genetic degradation (inbreeding) • Less genetic variation • Fragmentation of habitats • Beekeeping practices
The Danish Landscape is a desert for bees.
62% arable land, 92% crop rotation
20% towns, roads, gardens
12% forests, heather, meadows
6% lakes, streams.
Plenty pollen in some periods of the season
When the rapeseed has finished flowering the landscape is a dessert for bees
Observation bee yards
DENMARK 17
Pollen collected in 10.
Danmarks Biavlerforening – Flemming Vejsnæs Weight changes of hives
Nectar collection.
1. maj 7.6 22.6 31.7 Pollen for bees 2011- 2013
• Registration of beeforage close to the observation bee yards • Collection of pollen by pollentraps • Analyses of samples • Develloping a pollen calendar • Information activities.
Number of plant species
• Total number 122 • With 1% or more 37
• In agricultural areas of Denmark
Late April May June Late june July July august late august
Centaurea Cyanus 2011
Centaurea Cyanus 1942 17 36 59 45 8
Brassica 2011 1 1 51 1 1 1
Brassica 1942 2 19 36 19 6 8
Trifolium repens Trifolium Eupatorium-T. Trifolium Eupatorium-T. Salix 48% Acer 39% Brassica 51% 67% repens 87% 78% pratense 83% 30%
Trifolium Trifolium hybridum Vicia villosa Pyrus-T. 47% Pyrus-T. 29% repens 49% 15% 7% Achillea-. 11% Achillea 30%
Quercus Trifolium . Taraxacum Fagus 4% 15% 9% 14%
Number of species 8 11 6 17 11 17 21 19
s e p Apr Late t il May June Late june July July august late august .
Centaurea Cyanus 2011
Centaurea Cyanus 1942 17 36 59 45 8
Brassica 2011 1 1 51 1 1 1 1 Brassica 1942 2 19 36 19 6 8 3 Brassica Trifolium Trifolium Salix Acer Trifolium repens Eupatoriu pratense Eupatorium 48% 39% 50,9% repens 67% 87% m-T. 78% 83% 30% Trifolium Pyru repens Trifolium Vicia s-T. Pyrus- hybridum villosa Achillea-. Achillea 47% T. 29% 49,9% 15% 7% 11% 30%
Fagu Quercu Trifolium Taraxacum s 4% s 15% . 9% 14% Total number of species 8 11 6 17 11 17 21 19 2. Species 99,8% label/idenfication: 12, 22.-23.04.2011 13, 14.-15.05.2011 14, 06.-08.06.2011 15, 20.-21.06.201 16, 10.-11.07.2011 17, 24.-25.07.2011 18, 03.-04.08.2011 19, 17.-18.08.2011 late Late late se April May June june July July august august t. Acer / Ahorn / maple 39 1
Achillea-T. / Schafgarben-T. / yarrow-t. 1 1 1 1 1 30
Eupatorium-T. / Wasserdost-T. / hemp agrimony-t. 1 1 30 Centaurea Cyanus 2011 Centaurea Cyanus 1941 17 36 59 45 8 Taraxacum-T. / Löwenzahn-T. / dandelion-t. 1 1 14
Brassica 2011 1 1 51 1 1 1
Brassica 1941 2 19 36 19 6 8 Trifolium pratense / Rotklee / red clover 1 83 12
Trifolium repens / Weißklee / white clover 49 67 87 9
Trifolium hybridum-T. / Bastard-Klee-T. / hybrid clover-t. 1 15 1 9
Vicia faba / Ackerbohne / broad bean 1
Vicia villosa-T. / Zottel-Wicken-T. / fodder vetch-t. 1 7 1
Fagus sylvatica 4
Quercus* / Eiche / oak 15
Pyrus-T. / Kernobst-T. / pomaceous fruits 47 29
Salix / Weide / willow 48 1
Solanum-T. / Nachtschatten-T. / nightshade 1
Trifolium repens Trifolium repens Trifolium pratense Eupatorium-T. counted pollen grains (n = 500): Salix 48% Acer 39% Brassica 51% 67% 87% Eupatorium-T. 78% 83% 30% Trifolium repens Trifolium Pyrus-T. 47% Pyrus-T. 29% 49% hybridum-T. 15% Vicia villosa 7% Achillea-T. 11% Achillea-T. 30%
Gl. Tønder Bee yard
20.05. , 04.06 20.06. 11.07 25.07. 07.08. 17.08. 1/9,
6711.2112 6711.2113 6711.2114 6711.2115 6711.2116 6711.2117 6711.2118 6711.2136
9 6 9 7 10 11 10 8 Trifoli Trifolium Trifolium um Trifolium Brassica repens repens repens Solanum-T. Trifolium repens
Brassica 50% 75% 76% 90% 94% 62% repens 78% 25%
Trifolium Solanum-T. Solanum-
Pyrus-T. 37% Rosaceae 12% Vicia villosa 12% repens 19% 13% T. 19%
Fragaria 4% Trifolium repens 12% Brassicaceae 9% Viola 12% Calluna vulgaris 7% Achillea-T. 18%
Trifolium pratense 15%
Viola 10%
Taraxacum-T. 10%
Tropaeolum 3%
additional fungi spores Planting for bees and birds. Plantings with nectar, pollen and seeds.
• Food for bees • Insects for birds • Forrage for deers • Cower in summer and winter • Corridors for migration
DLF-Trifolium Spring: Cover for nests Summerommer: Insects for chicken Autumn/winter: Seeds All year: Cover, and bare soil for drying.
Corridors for migration Lobbying policy makers.
• To give incentive to farmers to sowing and planting for bees, birds and wildlife.
• To convince farmers that i pays to plant and sow for bees, birds and wildlife in agricultural habitats • . • To advice farmers to create good habitats for bees, birds and wildlife in the agricultural landscape. Set a side strips Along hedgerows or streams
Bee and bird mixtures Clover and grass, cut low with some bare soil spots.
DLF-Trifolium
Information activities. • Farmers Association • Danish Hunters Association • Danish Ornitological Society • Danish Nature Conservation Association • Ministry of Agriculture