Pollinator Insects
Many species of insects visit flowers in search of nectar and pollen. In return for these foods, the insects inadvertently pollinate the flowers. Many native insect species are important pollinators of commercial food crops, especially the bees. In Maine, there are more than 50 species of native bees that are associated with lowbush blueberry. However, because of the alarming decline in native bee numbers over the past several decades (due to bee habitat loss, fragmentation, and pesticide use) farmers have relied more and more on managed bees for pollination of lowbush blueberry.
