> Thanks for the ideas. Re: bumblebees - and cranberry pollination. No questions about it that bumblebees are the best. The problem lies in getting high enough populations of the ferals to do the job or cheap enough commercials ones. So far the later doesn't seem to be getting close to being cost effective. The ferals are proving very difficult to manage. The use of nesting boxes has been so-so in acceptance - 10 to 60%. They may help some but are not the answer. Planting of early blooming food sources for the bumble bees around the bogs seems to help but it is too early to tell if it really changes the populations of pollinators. Nevertheless our survey of over 100 bogs from Oregon to BC strongly suggest that populations density of feral bumble bees corresponds to the availablity of good food source during the entire spring season. Re: pollen collection and honey bees I don't know about the nutritional value of cranberry pollen, but it has only minor amounts of nectar rewards for bees. Cranberry always loses out to more rewarding flowers eg. blackberry. The best way to collect cranberry pollen so far appears to eliminate all other attractive plants from the surrounding ecosystem.