Arizona Agriculture and the Honey Bee
Over one point two million acres throughout Arizona is farmland owned by ten thousand individual farmers who take advantage of one of the most efficient irrigation networks found worldwide. The revenues from Arizona harvests accumulate to almost seven billion dollars annually, with the highest produced vegetables being lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli. Some of the popular fruits are watermelon, apples, lemons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons; and each of these rely on more than just sound farming principles and fancy irrigation. When it comes to the fertilization of these locally grown plants the Honey Bee plays a vital role in helping farmers reach their crop's maximum potential.
When an apple orchard blossoms for example, several hundred flowers begin to bloom while awaiting pollination. It is possible for either the wind or the rain to carry pollen to some of those flowers so they can advance towards becoming an apple, and when left to chance many o f those blooms will wither and fall from the tree untouched. This is where the Honey Bee comes into play, because it actively seeks the nectar available from each of those flowers and will visit the same tree many times each day. In making its daily rounds the bee will gather nectar while inadvertently covering itself with pollen. It will then return to the hive and touch or rub against other harvester bees, and when each of them return to the apple tree for more nectar the blooms become pollinated. The presence of Honey Bees not only ensures a greater harvest because more blooms will become fertilized on the apple tree, but through cross pollination other types of nearby fruits and vegetables will have higher chances of being fertilized as well.
Since the vast majority of Arizona's crops are fertilized by using the same general process, Honey Bees play a crucial role throughout the state. Honeydew melons, cauliflower, cantaloupe, watermelon, broccoli, and apple harves ts all take advantage of this insect's special abilities, and beekeepers are kept busy throughout most of the year working side by side with farmers making sure their pollination needs are met. This is usually done by placing the manufactured beehives on wooden pallets and leaving them at the edge of the crop throughout the entire blooming season, and the number of bees necessary for the task vary for each type of harvest. Recent studies have revealed an average of a 20% increase in production because of the Honey Bee's presence, with some benefiting as much as a 65%. Without this insect's availability each of these crops would lose most if not their entire profit margin and many of the local foods available inside our local supermarkets would no longer be available.
John Beebe is the owner and CEO of Atomic Pest Control, a Phonenix pest control company that specializes in Phoenix bee removal, mice, termites and bees in the Phoenix metro region. Atomic Pest Control serves the communities of Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Scottsdale and Tempe. Go nuclear on your pest problems with Atomic Pest Control!
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