Bombus impatiens, the common eastern bumblebee, is the most widely used bumblebee for commercial pollination in North America. Its hives deliver buzz pollination for greenhouse and field crops, and the bees keep working in conditions that slow honey bees down — low light and cooler temperatures — which makes them well suited to greenhouse production and early-season outdoor crops. A hive can replace hand-pollination and pollination hormones, and good pollination raises fruit set, size, and quality.
What it pollinates
Tomato, pepper, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, kiwi, and many other crops — especially those that need buzz pollination.
How buzz pollination works
A worker grasps the flower and vibrates its flight muscles to shake pollen loose from the anthers, leaving a small brown “bite mark” on the flower. Those marks let you read the bees’ work: very dark marks mean over-pollination (close the hives), and when the number of fresh marks drops, it is time to add hives to keep pollination going.
Hive Options
Hive
Details
Medium Hive
A medium colony of Bombus impatiens. At delivery it contains more than 55 workers and stays active for at least 6 weeks.
Standard Hive
A standard colony of Bombus impatiens. At delivery it contains around 75 workers and stays active for at least 6–8 weeks.
