Blueberries Need A Diverse Group of Bees for Best Pollination

For thousands of years, blueberries in the US were pollinated by bees native to North America. Then explorers and settlers showed up bringing new species of bees including the European Honey Bees. All those different types of bees seem to have benefited the blueberry. With blueberries, there isn’t just one type of bee that is solely suited to accomplish the most efficient pollination. Instead, several bees provide different functions in pollinating blueberries.

The best scenario for growing blueberries is to have several types of bees including bumblebees, honeybees, carpenter bees and other species. Growers estimate over $300 are added to each acre for each group of bees living in and around their fields.

Native bees, including the Southern Blueberry Bee, have lived with and pollinated blueberries as long as blueberries have been in existence. The Southern Blueberry Bee has a distinct vibrating function that is very adept at jarring loose pollen. They are much more efficient than honeybees at this. Honeybees are also picky about the weather when they fly. They prefer sunny weather, while native bees will fly around during inclement weather. On the other hand, there are many more honeybees than there are native bees to spread the pollination. One type of bee compliments the other.

There has been much research done to study the bees, and sometimes it has been challenging due to the small size and randomness of a bee’s flight path. Researchers are beginning to understand that native bees are better pollinators, and are therefore focusing more of their attention on them.

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