Native bees could help blueberries bloom

Researchers in the U.S. are attempting to combat the decline of honey bees by introducing Anthophora abrupta, or the chimney bee, to propagate and pollinate blueberry crops. This wild bee species is more effective at pollinating blueberries than honey bees due to its longer tongue and preference for the crop. Native to the Gulf Coast states, the chimney bee is easy to move and requires minimal human interaction. Blair Sampson, an entomologist at the Agricultural Research Service's Southern Horticultural Research Laboratory, has highlighted the bee's suitability for commercial management due to its strong foraging instinct, ability to nest in the same location for multiple years, and lack of production of honey, which reduces the need for beekeepers to manage hives for honey production.

American researchers are turning to native wild bees to help propagate and pollinate blueberry crops. The reason, honey bees are in decline and cannot always effectively pollinate certain crops, which is a big problem for horticulturists. To address the shortage of pollinators, horticulturists and entomologists are turning to Anthophora abrupta, also known as the chimney bee or mining bee, to pollinate crops. Honey bees aren't very fond of blueberry crops because of their relatively short tongues and preferences for other plants, so the wild bee is an important find for blueberry farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Tellus reported. (USDA). On the other hand, the wild bee, known as the southeastern huckleberry bee, is an abundant and effective pollinator in all the Gulf Coast states of the United States. These pollinators are relatively docile and easy to move, making it easier for beekeepers and farmers to move colonies from their regions to flowering crops across the ...