Bumblebees drive higher yields, larger fruit and increased profitability in early-flowering crops

Using Biobest bumblebees in early-flowering crops with short pollination windows, such as almonds and cherries, has been proven to significantly increase fruit size, total yield and grower profitability.

Reliable pollination for brief flowering period

Early in the season, lower temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions often limit the availability and activity of naturally occurring pollinators and honeybees. In contrast, bumblebees remain active and effective under cooler and more unsettled conditions, making them a more reliable pollination solution during this critical period.

According to Jorden van de Walle, product manager for pollination at Biobest, this reliability is particularly important for crops with brief flowering periods. Almond trees typically bloom for just two to three weeks, while cherries may flower for as little as one to two weeks. To maximise yield and fruit quality, growers need a strong and immediately effective pollinator presence during this narrow window.

Trial in Turkish cherries for export

In March 2025, a trial was conducted in an open-field cherry orchard in Izmir, in Turkey’s Ege region, to evaluate the impact of introducing Biobest outdoor bumblebee hives (Bombus terrestris).

The cherries were being grown for the export market, where larger fruit sizes command a premium price per kilogram, while smaller fruit - that fails to meet export standards – is sold domestically at significantly lower returns.

Significant performance uplift

The three-week trial compared a 0.5ha control plot, containing 375 trees reliant on natural pollination, with a 1ha trial plot of 800 trees supported by 10 bumblebee hives per hectare. Data collected per plot demonstrated clear performance improvements in the bumblebee-serviced orchard. Fruit height increased by 4%, fruit width by 7%, and average fruit weight by 13%, rising from 6.4 grams to 7.2 grams.

Substantial profit boost

“As a result of the larger fruit size, the number of cherries per kilogram fell by 16 percent, from 172 to 145 fruits, indicating a superior calibre more suited to export markets,” says Jorden. “Growers can get a better price per kilogram for larger cherries, so the bumblebee pollination in the trial are resulted in an increase of 12% in profit.”

Same story for almonds

Comparable results were observed recently in a two-hectare almond trial in Turkey where natural pollination by honeybees was supplemented with bumblebee pollination. The introduction of bumblebee hives led to a 20% increase in nut width and a 25% increase in nut weight compared to the control plot. Next to the increase in size, there were on average also 25% more nuts present on each tree in the bumblebee pollinated field. All these improvements resulted in a 33% increase in total yield per ha.

“These two trials clearly demonstrated the value bumblebees can bring to early-flowering crops with a short pollination-window – boosting yields, fruit size and profitability.”

For more information, contact your local Biobest advisor.