ISHS Acta Horticulturae 437: VII International Symposium on Pollination
FOOD SOURCES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BUMBLEBEE POPULATIONS AROUND CRANBERRY MARSHES |
| Authors: | R. P. Macfarlane, Kim D. Patten |
| Keywords: | short-tongued Bumblebees, Pacific Northwest, Wisconsin |
| Abstract:
The most effective pollinators of cranberries are short-tongued Bumblebees (STBB). Manipulating feral populations to achieve reliable foraging levels, however, has been difficult. Perennial plants growing adjacent to farms were evaluated for their attractiveness to STBB from early spring to fall. Early spring for early emerging species and mid-summer to fall for large colony species were the two periods with the most shortages in food resources. In the Pacific Northwest emerging queens (February-March) found Erica carnea and E. x darleyensis very attractive, followed by dewberry and evergreen huckleberry in March and April. Late summer forage was provide by Lotus corniculatus and E. cinerea. In Wisconsin, the short-tongued Bombus complex had to use a wide assortment of flowers because most were of poor quality, were uncommon, or had a short blooming period. | |
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