Software
Houzz Logo Print
apexgrower

Sneaky Bee!

15 years ago

Is it me or is this little guy cheating? I thought bumble bees were great pollinators, but it looks they just make small incisions on the blueberry flowers and consume the pollen without pollinating the flower. Have any of you noticed this before? I'm pretty new to fruit growing so I hope this isn't common fruit growing knowledge. Will this make a difference in the crop size this season? I'm sure there are other pollinators that are doing their jobs the flower friendly way, but it seems like the bumble bees have been spending the most time around the BB bushes.

{{gwi:106156}}

Comments (10)

  • 15 years ago

    Not sure what's happening here, normally bumbles are great pollinators, when honey bees are at home due to cool weather, bumbles can still fly.

    Check this out..

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bumbles pollinating blueberry

  • 15 years ago

    You can tell if a bumblebee is doing it's job, when you see it shaking the blueberry flower.

  • 15 years ago

    Interesting video Konrad! I wish the bumble bees by me were as helpful as those in the video.

  • 15 years ago

    Pretty sure it's a female carpenter bee not a bumble bee.
    I'm also pretty sure she knows her job.

  • 15 years ago

    myk1 nailed it - carpenter bee.
    Found this on a page about blueberry pollenation

    "Carpenter Bee (family Xylocopidae) often resemble large bumble bees. These insects use their strong mandibles to excavate nesting holes in wood. They are often seen flying around old packing sheds or other wooden structures. Carpenter bees visit blueberry flowers, but they cut a hole near the base of the corolla and "steal" nectar. Since they never make contact with the stigma, pollination is less likely to occur. Honey bees quickly learn to use these holes and also become "nectar robbers". The southeastern blueberry bee and other native bumble bees have not been seen using the robber holes. They continue to pollinate flowers that have been damaged by carpenter bees.

    A carpenter bee can be distinguished from a true bumble bee by looking carefully at its abdomen. Bumble bees always have a dense coat of hair over the entire abdomen, giving them a very fuzzy appearance. Carpenter bees, in contrast, have little or no hair on their big black bottoms!"

  • 15 years ago

    See Scott's comment on the topic Watching the Pollen Dancers. He and I get great blueberry pollination at sites separated by 2 states, even if they do slit the flowers and appear to be the only ones tending the blueberries.

  • 15 years ago

    Every spring the bumblebees come out and pollinate our blueberry shrubs. Most years, they are the only bees I see out that early. I have never seen a bumblebee cut a hole at the base of the flower, so the photo above must be a carpenter bee. Sure looks like a bumblebee, though.

  • 15 years ago

    "Sure looks like a bumblebee, though."

    Black not so fuzzy butt = carpenter. Black face on carpenter = female.

  • 15 years ago

    I have not seen any bees at my blueberry. I think he wind will do the job. I hope.

  • 15 years ago

    A couple of points if I may.
    Bumble bee bottoms or abdomens always have bands of yellow/black colors.
    Wind cannot pollinate blueberries due to the flower shape.