Stingless bees (Meliponini) are ecologically important pollinators of wild plant species and visit many crops globally, sharing many of the characteristics that make honey bees such good managed pollinators. Eleven stingless bee species are native to Australia, and several of these can be domesticated in artificial hives like honey bees. Initially, people largely kept stingless bees simply for enjoyment, but the development of the OATH hive and simple propagation methods sparked the growth of the commercial stingless bee industry. Increasingly, they are being investigated as pollinators of a variety of sub-tropical, tropical, temperate and glasshouse crops, including macadamia, avocado, blueberries, strawberries, cucurbits, lychee and mango. Yet, despite the growing number of studies exploring their potential as pollinators, there are still many knowledge gaps, particularly when it comes to managing stingless bees to optimise pollinator performance and produce the best outcomes in terms of crop yields and quality. There are many crop-specific guidelines regarding factors such as the timing of colony deployment, appropriate stocking rates and best distribution of colonies in various crops for honey bees, but not for stingless bees. As stingless bees become an increasingly popular alternative pollinator, we need to establish similar guidelines for their effective management and deployment. One crop in which commercial stingless bee colonies are already commonly employed is macadamia. Stingless bees are generally regarded to be as, if not more, effective pollinators as honey bees in this crop. It is thought that improved pollination is one mechanism by which yields could be improved. This could be achieved in part by developing better pollinator management strategies for orchards. Therefore, in my first experimental chapter I focussed on how to manage and deploy colonies of the stingless bee species, Tetragonula carbonaria, to maximise pollination service provision by boosting the number of bees foraging on the target macadamia crop. In my second experimental chapter, I explored how we can ensure that colonies are in good condition when using them for crop pollination. Finally, in my last experimental chapter, I explored how using stingless bees for crop pollination impacts their health, from the angle of the gut microbiome.
Managing stingless bees for crop pollination in macadamia orchards
Allison, C. E. (Author). 2022
Western Sydney University thesis: Doctoral thesis