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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Baton Rouge, Louisiana » Honey Bee Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #431237
Research Project: Improving Honey Bee Health Through Breeding and Development of Genetic and Management Tools

Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research

Title: Effect of honey bee colony strength on foraging productivity and its application to precision pollination

Author
item EVANS, SANDRA KORDIC - Beehero, Inc
item CLAUSTON, GEORGE - Beehero, Inc
item REGREV, YUVAL - Beehero, Inc
item Walsh, Elizabeth
item Ihle, Kate
item Rinkevich Jr, Frank
item Simone-Finstrom, Michael

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2026
Publication Date: 2/2/2026
Citation: Evans, S., Clauston, G., Regrev, Y., Walsh, E.M., Ihle, K.E., Rinkevich Jr, F.D., Simone-Finstrom, M. 2026. Effect of honey bee colony strength on foraging productivity and its application to precision pollination. Insects. 17(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020163.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020163

Interpretive Summary: Honey bee colonies are running at a shortage for pollination events at a global scale. This study examined colony strength and foraging activities, concluding that a small number of strong colonies is more effective at pollination events than a larger number of strong and weak colonies (strength determined by colony weight and number of frames of bees). Four studies, two in the California almond orchards and two in Tuscany Italy formed this dataset with a total of 3 different plant species as the primary foraging material.

Technical Abstract: Honey bee pollination of entomophilous commercial crops is a major input in agricultural management yet unlike irrigation, fertilisation and plant protection remains to be integrated into precision agriculture practices. This study examines colony strength as key determinant of efficient pollination. Over three years and across two study sites, we evaluated the relationship between colony strength (frames of bees, FOB) and colony productivity using continuous hive weight monitoring. Hive weight data were analysed for both absolute gains and relative gains normalised per FOB across colony strengths. In all study periods, stronger colonies showed disproportionately higher weight gains compared to weaker colonies For each additional FOB, the average increase in normalised weight gain ranged from 0.1 to 0.41 kg per colony, indicating a non-linear relationship between colony strength and productivity. An efficiency factor calculated for groups of strong and weak colonies ranged from 1.2 to 2.6, depending on the season and crop. Moreover, during periods of forage dearth, strong colonies exhibited lower weight losses than the weak colonies per FOB, making them more efficient under resource limited conditions. Our findings demonstrate that colony strength significantly influences foraging efficiency and colony resilience, ultimately supporting the conclusion that fewer stronger colonies will improve pollination outcomes while reducing economic and environmental costs with commercial pollination services.