Pollination activities of bumblebees in agricultural practice: challenges and solutions
Abstract
This article explores the role of bumblebees Bombus spp. as highly effective pollinators in agricultural ecosys- tems. It outlines morphological and behavioral characteristics that provide bumblebees with clear advantages over the honey bee Apis mellifera, including the ability to perform buzz pollination, forage in low temperatures and under re- duced light. The paper presents an overview of international practices in the use of bumblebees in agriculture (including the EU, Canada, Japan, and Ukraine), emphasizing their impact on crop yield and quality. The study also highlights key ecological threats such as neonicotinoid pesticides and climate change, and identifies measures aimed at bumblebee conservation under the conditions of Belarus. It was concluded that it is highly advisable to use bumblebees in protected and open ground.
Keywords
bumblebees,
pollination,
agriculture,
greenhouses,
sustainability,
biodiversity,
climate change,
Belarus.
About the Authors
T. I. Klimko
РУП «Институт экспериментальной ветеринарии им. С.Н. Вышелесского»
Belarus
Belarus
N. V. Arkhipova
РУП «Институт экспериментальной ветеринарии им. С.Н. Вышелесского»
Belarus
Belarus
N. V. Zinina
РУП «Институт экспериментальной ветеринарии им. С.Н. Вышелесского»
Belarus
Belarus
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Klimko T.I., Arkhipova N.V., Zinina N.V. Pollination activities of bumblebees in agricultural practice: challenges and solutions. Ecology and Animal World. 2025;(2):8-16. (In Russ.)
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