Method and apparatus for field incubation of bees

Fecha de publicación: 31/10/2017
Fuente: WIPO "pollination"
A hivetop incubator stimulates dormant solitary bees to emerge at the appropriate time to pollinate orchard and field crops. The hivetop incubator utilizes the heat produced by a colony of honeybees. It comprises an insulated incubation chamber with a lid and a screened base. The hivetop incubator is placed over the open top of a beehive containing a honeybee colony. Heat generated by nurse honeybees to maintain temperatures within the brood nest rises into the incubation chamber. Dormant solitary bees in cocoons are placed within the incubation chamber and are stimulated by the warmth to emerge rapidly. The active bees leave the incubation chamber thru exits and are thus available in the orchard or field for pollination.