Decision-Making Guide for Bee Supplementation of Pumpkin Fields

Abstract

Vine crops such as pumpkin, squash, cucumber and watermelon are some of New York State’s most valuable vegetable crops. These crops require pollination by bees, the most well-known of which is the honey bee, Apis mellifera. Honey bee hives are placed in vine crops during bloom when female flowers need to be pollinated. Unfortunately, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), parasitic mites, viruses and other pathogens continue to cause significant losses in populations of honey bees throughout the US.