Bumblebees for Pollination

Strong, even pollination is one of the cheapest yield boosts in protected growing — and bumblebees deliver it better than honeybees or hand labor. Here's why growers rely on them.

Bumblebees for pollination outperform the alternatives indoors, where light and temperature limit other pollinators. This guide explains how bumblebees power greenhouse pollination and why they set fruit so reliably on crops like tomato, pepper, and berry.

What is buzz pollination?

Bumblebees grip a flower and vibrate their flight muscles, shaking loose pollen that stays locked in the anthers of crops like tomato and pepper. Honeybees can't do this — which is exactly why bumblebees set fruit so much more effectively.

Why bumblebees beat the alternatives

They forage in the cooler, lower-light, enclosed conditions of a greenhouse, visit more flowers per trip, and remove the labor and inconsistency of hand-pollination — improving fruit set, size, and uniformity.

How growers use them

Place ready-to-use hives in the crop at flowering, protect them from direct sun, and replace colonies on a rolling schedule. Avoid pesticides toxic to bees during the pollination window.

Get started

Ready-to-use colonies are available in our Bumblebee Hives collection — just place, open, and let them work.

Frequently asked questions

Why use bumblebees instead of honeybees?

Bumblebees perform buzz pollination and forage in cool, low-light greenhouse conditions, giving far better fruit set on crops like tomato and pepper.

How do bumblebees pollinate tomatoes?

They vibrate the flowers to release pollen that's otherwise trapped, fertilizing the bloom and producing fuller, more uniform fruit.

Are bumblebees safe to work around?

Yes — they're docile foragers focused on flowers and rarely bother greenhouse staff.

When should I introduce bumblebees?

At the start of flowering, and replace colonies on a rolling schedule to match continuous bloom.