Bill Truesdell wrote:

>Interesting that honeybees are incapable of delivering floral sonication to
>blueberries and cranberries. But does that translate to an inability to
>pollinate?
>If it does, then we had best inform the blueberry and cranberry industry
>here in Maine who imported over 60,000 hives last year.

I had 900 hives rented to blueberry pollination last year Bill, but I do not
take what Stephen Buchmann said with the same offense that you seem to.  I
would be the first to admit that bumblebees are far superior pollinators of
blueberries.  Your point is well taken, that it is the relative cheapness
and size of field force that is the honeybee's strength.  But Stephen's
point is also quite valid.  Bumblebees sonicating the bloom buzz out huge
amounts of pollen.  That is why they can actually gather blueberry pollen.
The honeybees are accidental pollinators in their forage for nectar.  But
the plants are producing that nectar to encourage such accidental
pollination.  The mixture of both bumblebees and honeybees is a very
beneficial one, because there is a lot more loose pollen for the honeybees
to move around if the bumblebees have been active.  Endel Karmo, a pioneer
in the study of blueberry pollination compared the bumblebees to a
bulldozer, and the honeybees to a harrows working it in.   And that I
believe was Stephen's point,  a variety of pollinators is to everyone's
advantage, and it is the chemical and habitat threats which are our common
enemy.  The different bees in the blueberry field are NOT occupying the same
niche and are not in direct competition.  Neither should we be.

Regards, Stan