Arataki Pollination – Pollination by professionals

An  important aspect of Arataki’s work is pollination, principally of orchards.  We have been providing hives to Hawke’s Bay orchards for 60 years and we now do over 6,000 hive placements every season. We have hives working for nine months of the year starting in July. This ensures good fruit set and crop yields. Bees are an integral part of making Hawke’s Bay a major producer of fruit in New Zealand.

Bees play a significant role in horticulture. Stonefruit, pipfruit, kiwifruit, blueberries, zucchinis and melons all benefit from bees tireless work. The seed industry also relies on pollination by honey bees.

Beware of spray

Unlawful orchard and crop spraying can be devastating to bees. Land owners need to be vigilant and make sure hives have been removed from their property and neighbouring properties before spraying begins.

If you have bees on your orchard please read spray labels carefully with particular note to “Toxic to Bees” warnings. Even if you have had bees removed from your crops there may be bees within a three kilometre radius that are still working any flowers left. These may then be poisoned through illegal spraying. This can lead to prosecution and claims for damage caused.

"Mates-rates"

It pays to remember that if you have a friend with a few hives that you hire at ‘mates rates’ these could be the most expensive hives you could ever get. This is because hives that are not in the right condition to provide good pollination could cost you part of, or all, your crop.