For the tropical gardener in Hawaii, the European honeybee has been an important partner that insures proper pollination for many garden crops. For the tropical gardener in Hawaii, the European honeybee has been an important partner that insures proper pollination
For the tropical gardener in Hawaii, the European honeybee has been an important partner that insures proper pollination for many garden crops.
Early in human civilization, we mastered apiculture, or the cultivation of bees. Humans, mainly of European descent, have transported the European honeybee around the world to help pollinate crops and provide honey and wax.
The kiawe, on the other hand, brings mixed feelings. To some, it’s an invasive species that takes over the leeward shoreline, blocking access and use. In addition, the sharp thorns on many trees are a safety issue, as they can pierce through bare skin, clothing and even thin footwear.
To others, the kiawe provides just the right amount of dappled shade, not too bright and not too dark for those hot days at the beach, park or in the garden. In the form of logs, branches and charcoal, it is the cooking fuel of choice for many grilling purists.
Whatever your feelings for the kiawe, it will forever be intertwined with the story of the honeybee and ranching in Hawaii.
The kiawe, Prosopis pallida, a native of Peru, was introduced into Hawaii in 1828 via the Royal Gardens in Paris, France by Father Bachelot. The first trees were planted at the Catholic Mission on Fort Street in Honolulu and in little over a decade became a very common shade tree around the city. Kiawe trees grow best in dry, hot environments and can tolerate saline conditions, which allow it to grow nearly down to the waterline. The wood is very hard and resistant to rot. Kiawe posts were used to fence in cattle and other animals.
The first successful introduction of the European honeybee, Apis mellifera, into Hawaii occurred on Oahu in 1857. This was followed by several additional successful introductions of honeybees to the islands. During the following decades, most of the honeybee expansion in Hawaii occurred from swarm colonies breaking away from the original colonies.
Beginning in the 1890s, the cattle industry began to grow in Hawaii and with it brought the need for increased production of forage and feed. Along with grasses, kiawe seed pods were identified as an important food source. Kiawe was planted and encouraged to spread to provide food and shade for cattle roaming the dry side of the islands.
During this time, the honeybee had an instrumental role in the spread of kiawe in Hawaii. As a way to increase kiawe seed pod production, honeybee hives were placed in close proximity to kiawe trees to increase pollination of flowers, thereby increasing the pod and seed set. This resulted in a quick increase in the acreage of kiawe on the Big Island and the rest of the state.
One of the upsides of all of these kiawe trees was the kiawe honey that was produced and exported to North America and Europe. At its peak, more than 200,000 pounds of kiawe honey was exported annually.
The plight of the European honeybees in Hawaii has been well documented. Recent introductions of the small hive beetle and the varroa mite have had a devastating effect on hive survival and vitality.
The overall reduction of bees and subsequent loss of managed hives and feral colonies have resulted in yield reductions of certain crops because of a lack of pollination. In addition to crop yield reductions, the two insect pests are also threatening the multimillion dollar queen bee production businesses we have on the Big Island. Annually, these businesses export several hundred thousand queen bees from Hawaii.
For more information on this and other gardening topics, visit ctahr.hawaii.edu/Site/Info.aspx or any of the local Cooperative Extension Service offices around the island.
Russell Nagata is the Hawaii County administrator of the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. He can be reached at russelln@hawaii.edu.
