Pollinators:
Bumblebees
Bumblebee
box
Danger to crops:
Aphids
(1)
Aphids
(2)
Butterflies/
Moths
Leaf
miners
Mealy
bugs
Nematodes
Sciarid
flies
Soil
infestations
Spider
Thrips
Whiteflies
BOMBUS terrestris
Also in case of low temperatures and low light intensity, bumblebees keep on collecting pollen. Unlike honey bees, bumble bees will not, in mass leave the glasshouse to which they were brought as pollinators, for their community system is less perfect than the one of the honey bees.
Photo: Bumblebee hanging on to a flower.
BioPol raises its own bumble bee nests. Selection and research provide strong colonies of a good quality with a long life expectancy.
Bumblebees are used in several crops, such as tomatoes, sweet peppers, egg plants (aubergines) and strawberries. They are also used in seed growing and several outdoor crops.
BioPol developed a new nestbox, made out of cardboard, and with some excellent characteristics: it's light; with its dimensions it can easily be transported (also in international transports), and for bumble bees it offers an excellent home. The boxes are provided with an automatic feeding system, with sufficient food for the colony during the entire pollination period in the glasshouse.