Plum
Pollination Solutions
Prunus Domestica
Effective plum pollination is essential for achieving reliable fruit set and consistent crop yields. Most plum varieties require cross-pollination, making insect activity during flowering critical for successful fertilisation.
Zonda bumblebee hives support New Zealand plum growers with reliable, orchard-scale pollination throughout the flowering
Plum Flower Biology
- The plum flower (Prunus domestica) is hermaphroditic and produces both pollen and nectar.
- Most plum varieties are not self-pollinating. This applies not only to fertilisation within the same flower or tree, but also between trees of the same variety.
- In these cases, cross-pollination with a compatible variety (polliniser) is required to achieve effective fertilisation and fruit set.
- Reliable insect activity during flowering is essential to ensure effective pollen transfer between compatible varieties within the orchard.
- It can be difficult to determine whether flowers have been visited by bumblebees, as visible signs of pollination are limited.
Managed Bumblebee Pollination for Plum Orchards
Bumblebee pollination supports reliable cross-pollination between compatible plum varieties during the blossom period.
Bumblebees are well suited to commercial orchard pollination because they:
- Remain active in cooler early spring conditions
- Exhibit strong foraging behaviour across orchard rows
- Move effectively between polliniser varieties
- Provide consistent pollination activity during peak bloom
Reliable pollination improves fruit set, supports fruit uniformity and contributes to consistent crop development.
When to introduce Bumblebee Hives for Plum Pollination
For pollination of plum crops, a minimum of 6-9 LARGE colonies are necessary when no other pollinators are present.
On delivery, a LARGE colony contains 80–110 worker bees and a queen, with a typical lifespan of four to six weeks depending on crop conditions.
Hives should be introduced at early bloom to ensure colonies establish foraging patterns before peak flowering. Even distribution throughout orchard blocks encourages effective cross-pollination between compatible varieties.
Colony density may be adjusted depending on orchard layout, tree age, bloom intensity and the presence of additional pollinating insects.
Bumblebee Hives for Plum Orchards
Explore Zonda Beneficials bumblebee hives for outdoor crop pollination to support plum fruit production.
Small Hive
up to 750 m²
Contains approximately 50 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 — sunny 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.
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 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.