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Blueberries are important crops in the southeastern United States, but with its high heat and humidity in the summer, this region presents a unique set of problems for growers. Research on the benefits of cross-pollination by insects has improved berry yield and marketability in the Southeast and there's still more to learn.
Bumble bees are one of a small group of bees that can effectively cross-pollinate blueberries. Because of this, bumble bee conservation is of great importance to blueberry growers. In addition to my other research on bumble bee natural history in the Southeast, I'll be investigating bumble bee pollination of blueberries. Some questions I'm hoping to address are whether there are differences in pollination effectiveness among bumble bee species, and if bumble bees forage solely on blueberries during their flowering season.
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All photos copyright Athena Rayne Anderson 2009
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