Unveiling the Buzz - Outdoor pollination products with a new look from Spring 2024
Nature's Perfect Pollinator
- Bumblebees are active at temperatures near 40°F (5°C), honeybees become active at temperatures near 60-65°F (15-18°C).
- Bumblebees are active on cloudy, foggy, and rainy days, honeybees are less active at low light levels.
- Bumblebees will fly in winds of up to 40mph (64km/hr).
- Bumblebees pollinate flowers through a method called “buzz-pollination”, a rapid vibrating motion which releases large amounts of pollen onto the bee. In most situations, “buzz-pollination” will allow a bumblebee to pollinate a flower in a single visit. A honeybee typically needs to visit a flower between 7-10 times, before it is fully pollinated.
- Bumblebees lack the sophisticated communication system of honeybees, and are less likely to leave your crop for more attractive flowers.
- Unlike honeybees, bumblebees are attracted to flowers with narrow corolla tubes, such as blueberries and cranberries which they can easily forage on with their long tongues.
- Bumblebees are much more efficient pollinators than honeybees, they mainly forage for pollen rather than nectar, and transfer more pollen to the pistils with each visit.
- Bumblebees promote higher rates of cross-pollination, as they forage between plants more randomly than honeybees.
- Bumblebees visit many more blooms per minute than honeybees.
- Bumblebees work earlier in the morning and later into the evening hours.
- Bumblebees work better in tunnels, as they have a better sense of direction.
- Bumblebees are safer for you and your employees. Bumblebees are non-swarming and much less aggressive than honeybees.
- Bumblebees can be used in conjunction with honeybees to enhance pollination.