TihonetVillageMarket

Cranberry growers in southeastern Massachusetts and
Cape Cod are bringing the buzz back to the cranberry bogs
with migratory honey bees and bumble bees for cranberry
flower pollination. It is vital that growers introduce
migratory honey bees and/or bumble bees; According to
Anne Averill, Entomologist with U-Mass Cranberry Station
“Similar to many other fruit crops, bees are needed for
adequate pollination. Cranberry flowers are not capable of
self fertilization so pollinators are required to move pollen
from one flower to another.” Often, several pollination
visits are needed to ensure good berry development.

A grower needs to carefully time the delivery of the bees to
the bogs. Cranberry blossoms are not a high priority flower
for all bees. Cranberry blossom do not offer the same
nectar appeal that other crops offer. If bees are introduced
prematurely, the bee will fly off and find other flowers to
pollinate, such as area weeds. Once a cranberry bog starts
to blossom at 5%, bees should be introduced. Honey bees
are hard workers, but they do prefer a dry day. Bumble
bees offer another option for pollination, and will work
earlier and later in the day and when the cranberry bogs
are wet. It’s a grower’s choice and many growers introduce
both honey and bumble bees to their farms.

Migratory honey bees will remain on the cranberry bogs
until mid July; after that, cranberry pollination has ended,
and the bees will continue to forage for pollen and nectar
from other flowers in the area. Growers do not want
summer weeds to be pollinated. Golden rod grows within
the cranberry bog system, along with other invasive
weeds. Once pollination is over, migratory bees relocate to
another crop. The only buzz of the bee is from the native
bees that live within the bog system all year long.

We ship cranberries in season!! E-mail us for
information.