Courgette
Pollination Solutions
Cucurbita pepo
Courgettes and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) rely on insect pollination to set fruit consistently — pollen must transfer from male to female flowers during the short window each flower is open. In greenhouse and protected cropping environments, natural pollinator activity is often insufficient to achieve this reliably.
Zonda managed bumblebee hives provide consistent pollination throughout the flowering period, supporting better fruit set and more uniform crop development for New Zealand growers.
Courgette Flower Biology
- Male flowers produce pollen; female flowers contain the ovary that develops into fruit.
- Each flower opens for only a short window each day — insect pollination must occur during this time for fertilisation to take place.
- Without insect activity, pollen cannot transfer between flowers and fruit will not set.
- Consistent pollination throughout flowering directly determines yield and crop uniformity.
When to Introduce Bumblebee Hives for Courgette Pollination
Bumblebee hives should be introduced at the early flowering stage to ensure pollination activity is present when female flowers begin to open.
For courgette crops, Zonda MEDIUM hives are recommended. Each colony contains 50–70 worker bees and a queen, with a typical lifespan of four to six weeks depending on crop conditions.
Each hive covers a pollinatin range of approximately 1,000 m². For smaller growing areas, a different hive size may be recommended.
Position hives evenly throughout the greenhouse to ensure effective pollination across the crop canopy.
Bumblebee Hives for Courgette Pollination
Explore Zonda Beneficials bumblebee hives for greenhouse pollination to support courgette crop production.
Small Hive
up to 750 m²
Contains approximately 50 worker bees.
Medium Hive
750 m² to 1100 m²
Contains approximately 50–70 worker bees.
Large Hive
1100 m² to 1500 m²
Contains approximately 80–100 worker bees.
Bumblebee Hive Placement and Use
- Introduce colonies when the first flowers are open.
- Place hives on a sturdy support approximately 50 cm above the ground, in a sunny position in spring, shaded later in the season.
- Secure hives to prevent ant access.
- After placement, allow bees to settle for 30–60 minutes before opening the flight hole. They will begin pollinating shortly after their initial orientation flights.
- Bumblebees are most active between 15–25°C, and will work in temperatures from 10–30°C.
- Courgette flowers produce high volumes of nectar, which can reduce the bees’ motivation to forage. To manage this, lock bees in the hive daily once flowers close (using the BEEHOME option). This prevents outside foraging and ensures bees are active and motivated when flowers reopen the following morning.
Bumblebee Safety and Crop Protection
- Bumblebees are compatible with natural enemies and biological control programmes.
- Agricultural chemicals can affect bumblebees directly (killing workers or larvae through contact or ingestion) or indirectly (treated flowers may deter foraging visits).
- Systemic pesticides absorbed through roots can have long-lasting effects. In crops that produce both nectar and pollen (e.g. sweet pepper), the impact on the colony can be significantly greater than in pollen-only crops (e.g. tomato).
- Detailed information on pesticide compatibility is available in Zonda’s Side Effects Guide.
- Before any crop treatment, activate the BEEHOME option to allow bees to enter but not leave the hive. After approximately one hour, the hive can be fully closed and either covered or removed from the crop.
- If temporarily removed, store the hive at 18–20°C.