Estimating the contribution of feral honey bees to crop pollination in Tasmania 2026

This Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture report examines how fruit, berry and vegetable seed crops rely on managed honey bee hives and background pollination. It identifies apples, particularly in the Huon Valley, as potentially vulnerable to declining feral bee populations, while vegetable seed production may face pressure from reduced hive availability and increased costs following Varroa establishment.

File Type: pdf
Categories: Pollination
Tags: background pollination, berry pollination, Biosecurity, blackberry pollination, blueberry pollination, crop pollination, feral honey bees, hive availability, hive stocking rates, honey bees, Huon Valley, managed hives, pollination risk, pollination services, pollinator dependence, raspberry pollination, strawberry pollination, Tasmania, Tasmanian horticulture, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Varroa destructor, varroa mite
Author: Jonathan Finch, Justin Cappadonna, Ryan Warren
© Copyright - Hort Innovation. This website has been funded by Hort Innovation using research and development levies from the Blueberry Fund, Strawberry Fund and Raspberry & Blackberry Fund, and funds from the Australian Government.