As the soft buzz of spring begins to stir the orchards back to life, there's one group of tiny workers that quietly but crucially ensure the success of our apple harvest each year—bees. Here at Bensons Orchards, we don't currently keep our own hives, but that doesn’t mean we’re short on pollinators. These remarkable insects play a foundational role in the orchard ecosystem, and without them, our beloved apples simply wouldn’t grow.
The World of Bees: A Tale of Two Types 🐝
Most people are familiar with the iconic honey bee—golden, striped, and always busy. Honey bees typically build their hives in tree cavities or man-made structures like wooden boxes. These hives are usually found above ground and are marvels of cooperation and organisation. Inside, honey bees produce large quantities of honey, not only to feed themselves but also to sustain their colonies through the colder months.
In contrast, bumble bees are less visible but just as important. They tend to nest underground—in abandoned rodent burrows, under sheds, or in loose soil. Unlike honey bees, bumble bees don't produce honey in excess; they make just enough for the immediate needs of their small colonies. Despite their more reserved lifestyles, bumble bees are extraordinarily effective pollinators. Their large, fuzzy bodies are particularly good at transferring pollen, and their ability to “buzz pollinate”—vibrating flowers to release pollen—makes them ideal for certain blossoms.
Both honey bees and bumble bees have their own unique ways of working, but they share a common goal: to collect nectar and pollen, and in doing so, they enable the natural process of pollination.
Pollination: The Heartbeat of the Orchard
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male parts of a flower (the anthers) to the female parts (the stigma). For apple trees, this process is absolutely essential. Without it, blossoms cannot be fertilised, and without fertilisation, there can be no apples.
Bees, as they move from flower to flower in search of nectar, unintentionally become nature’s most effective matchmakers. Pollen sticks to their bodies and is carried from one apple blossom to another, allowing fertilisation to occur. This is the hidden, yet essential, step that leads to the juicy, flavour-packed apples we press into our popular drinks.
At Bensons Orchards, we may not host hives directly, but bees are frequent visitors. Their activity is a quiet but powerful reminder that nature is constantly at work all around us, especially during the delicate flowering season in spring.
The Orchard Ecosystem: Why Bees Matter
Orchards are living ecosystems. Beyond the apple trees themselves, there's a web of life that supports the entire operation—from the microorganisms in the soil to the birds in the sky. Bees are one of the linchpins of this system. Their presence directly affects apple yield, size, and quality.
Well-pollinated apple blossoms typically produce larger, healthier, and more symmetrical apples. Poor pollination, on the other hand, can result in fewer apples per tree, or in apples that are misshapen or underdeveloped. This is why some commercial orchards bring in beekeepers with hives during flowering season, just to ensure strong and consistent pollination.
Even though Bensons doesn’t bring in hives at this time, the surrounding countryside and natural landscape are rich enough to support a steady population of wild pollinators. And that’s a good thing—not just for our apple harvests, but for biodiversity as a whole.
A Shared Responsibility
Bees face numerous challenges today—from habitat loss and pesticide exposure to the mysterious and devastating colony collapse disorder. Supporting pollinators is not just a job for farmers, but for all of us.
At Bensons, we do our part by cultivating an environment that welcomes bees and other beneficial insects. This includes allowing wildflower growth, avoiding harmful chemicals, and maintaining natural hedgerows and green buffers where bees can forage and nest.
Every time a bee lands on an apple blossom, it’s a small act of hope for the future of farming—and the health of our planet.
Taste the Fruits of Their Labour
Thanks to the tireless work of bees, we’re able to transform our apples into a range of delicious, refreshing drinks. If you’d like to taste the results of nature’s teamwork, take a look at our Still Drinks Collection, which includes:
Each bottle is packed with real apple flavour and represents more than just great ingredients—it’s the end result of healthy trees, sustainable practices, and the buzzing pollinators that make it all possible.
So next time you see a bee buzzing around a blossom, take a moment to appreciate the complex and delicate work it's doing. That little insect might be just one part of the story, but without it, there would be no story to tell. Bees don’t just make honey—they help our apples grow, and they make life sweeter in every way that matters.
