The alternate pollinators have been studied in blueberry fields and the
same result will come from the study in cranberry fields. They are great
pollinators but you cannot get the numbers that honeybees can deliver.
Plus, they are very expensive and require the grower to get into the bee
breeding business.
In the blueberry studies, if I recall correctly, you are looking at factors
of 10-25 in increased pollination costs to the grower.
Plus the study had honeybees pollinating at the same time as the alternate
pollinator and the selling point was increased yields using the alternate
pollinator. Since the blueberry growers still do not know what the best
hive density per acre is, even that result is suspect.
Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME