Welcome to the official website of the BioDar store

Cultural Farm BioDar implements its mission using the rich scientific achievements of the Institute of the Heritage of Villages and Regions and extensive cooperation with non-governmental organizations.
The protection of natural and cultural heritage is an important sphere of the Farm's activities, and one of the basic goals is to preserve biodiversity and breeding useful organisms that can be used in agriculture and horticulture.

Since 1989, we have been implementing a program for implementing of bumblebees and solitary bees for horticulate practice and since 2012 the company has been running its own breeding of solitary bees on a commercial scale. By participating in the creation of biological progress, we respond to the high demands placed on by food consumers and our customers in the field of high quality of offered products and the safety of their use.

The farm is part of the regional biodiversity conservation center. In this area of engagement, it runs conservation collections of crops with high biological value (historical varieties of agricultural, vegetable and fruit plants). In cooperating organic farms, it also oversees collections of medicinal, herbal and melliferous plants. Similar works are carried out for the protection of rare and endangered plants.

The sphere of cultural heritage includes products decorated in a way characteristic for different cultural groups. The high quality of our products is appreciated by very demanding customers. Their valuable remarks make the farm's offer constantly replenished and the products are perfected.
 

Areas of involvement:

Breeding of Megachilidae:

• Red Mason Bee Osmia rufa / bicornis (L.),
• Osmia cornuta (LATR.),
• Chelostoma maxillosum (L.),
• Chelostoma rapunculi (LEP.),
• Heriades truncorum (L.).

Breeding of Anthophoridae:

• Anthophora plumipes (Pall.),
• Anthophora aestivalis Panz.),
• Anthophora bimaculata (Panz.),
• Anthophora plagiata (Ill.),
• Anthophora vulpina (L.),
• Anthophora furcata (Panz.),
• Anthophora pubescens (F.).

Important achievements:

• Development of a mason bee breeding system in reusable nesting trays

• Development of a system for breeding Anthophoridae in earth blocks, combined in multi-layered habitats

• Performing the function of the national Center (Coordinator) for the protection of genetic resources of Anthophoridae

• Implementation of the program for the protection of Megachilidae and Anthophoridae bees, inscribed on the red list of species endangered with extinction in Poland,

• Maintaining the genetic reserve of selected species of Megachilidae and Anthophoridae bees

The farm offers:

• Sale of high-value breeding material for solitary bees (genetic reserve) for production breeding, in agro-tourism farms and amateur housing

• Sale of breeding equipment

• Scientific and research services, expertise and advice in the field of technologies for the breeding of wild bees and pollination plants

• Training, courses and exercises in the field of pollinator biodiversity protection as well as breeding and production technology of bee-colonies
• Sale of plant material: seed and seedlings of plants the most attractive for individual types of pollinators
• Conducting monitoring of educational and implementation apiaries in order to improve the efficiency of farming by optimizing economic aspects, animal welfare and environmental protection
• Performing the health assessment of breeding material for bee and bumble bees
• Monitoring pollinator biodiversity
• Regulation of the sex structure by sexing cocoons of mason bees
• Conducting research on reproduction of females
• Improving methods of protection of bee genetic resources occurring in Poland, taking into account their usefulness and the quality of the environment
• Keeping databases and monitoring of conservative populations for legally protected species
• Consulting, cooperation and supervision over the implementation of breeding programs relating to legally protected species
• Performing introductions (settling) species of bees rarely and threatened with extinction (allotment gardens, home gardens)

Examples of BioDar projects

• Training on the correct use / care of the garden mason bee Osmia bicornis (O. rufa L.) with the delivery of complete breeding kits for companies in the Małopolskie and Mazowieckie voivodships in 2016-2020.
• "Active protection of biodiversity of solitary bees in the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Lesser Poland Voivodship" - a project implemented in 2014 and 2015, including workshops, training, supplying organic farms with kits for mason bee, publication of a bee protection, favourite plants and bee recognition key.
  
  
   
• Cooperation with the Greenpeace Polska Foundation during the "Adopt Bee" campaign - delivery of two bee solitary species.
  
• Construction of hotels for solitary bees for the Voivodship Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Krakow.
  
• Preparation of information and educational boards on beneficial organisms for the Jelenia Góra Cultural Center as part of the Polish-German project "Winged Houses".
   
• Innovative research and implementation topics - Breeding bees - Anthophora plumipes (Pall.)

• Preparation and assembly of information and educational boards on beneficial organisms in the Educational Garden as part of the initiative entitled. "Revitalization of the area around the Regional Chamber in Łętownia" in 2017.