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INVESTIGATOR: Bushmann, S. L.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
ORONO, MAINE 04469

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF WILD BEE POLLINATION IN LOWBUSH BLUEBERRY PRODUCTION.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The purpose of this project is to determine the relative economic values of wild bee pollinators and commercial honeybees in lowbush blueberry production for individual Maine farms. The lowbush blueberry requires insect pollination in order to set fruit. Most farmers rent colonies of the non-native honeybee for pollination services, but wild, native bees are also effective pollinators. This project aims to provide growers with the means to assess the pollination needs of individual fields and to understand the levels of pollination possible if honeybees are not available. In order to achieve these goals, the relative abundance and species diversity of native bees found foraging on blueberry flowers will be determined. This information, along with crop yield, will be used to calculate the economic value of native bees as a community and how much value to attribute to honeybees and common native bee groups. Native bee abundance and diversity will also be examined in relation to field characteristics and farm management practices. Workshops and on‐farm trainings will provide farmers the means to assess their pollination needs and develop a sustainable pollination strategy based upon use of honeybees and/or native bees.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this project is to determine the relative economic value of native bee pollinators and commercial honeybees in lowbush blueberry production. Workshops and on‐farm trainings will provide farmers the means to assess their pollination needs and develop a sustainable pollination strategy based upon use of honeybees and/or native bees. Objective 1: Assess native bee contribution to pollination when honeybees are stocked in a field. Objective 2: Determine factors that affect the relative abundance and diversity of native bees in blueberry fields. The diversity and relative abundance of native bees found in and around 16 blueberry fields will be determined by trapping and actively catching bees from any species of flower found in association with the blueberry field. Each field will be described according to physical characteristics, farm management, percent of non‐blueberry flowering plant, composition of non‐crop flowering plant community, percent fruit set, and yield. Bee trapping and floral analysis will take place during blueberry bloom for both years of the project. Farm management and yield data will be collected through interviews with the growers after harvest. From these results, bee species lists and bee family guides will be compiled for farmers. From these lists and from the flower constancy data farmers at workshops can be taught to identify key blueberry bee pollinator groups on their farms. Objective 3: Determine the economic value of native bees in each field. Farmers will be able use the results of this part of the project when making management decisions as I will provide the economic analysis for each individual field. A farmer‐friendly version of the models (calculations) will be developed in concert with the farmers so that practical useful products will result. All data will be made available to growers by Jan. 1 of the winter following the field season. Expected outcomes for Objective 3: A per field value for the economic value of the current native bee community and a per field value for the economic value of selected native bee genera; a per field value for the economic value of honeybees; a semi‐validation of economic models. Objective 4: Develop grower training for sustainable pollination strategy decision making. Over the course of the project, I will initiate on‐going communication with the growers including surveys, individual interviews, on‐site workshops and trainings, and dissemination of the project results and descriptions through newsletters and public presentations. Expected outcome for Objective 4: A population of farmers who feel confident to evaluate the native bee communities (not to species level, but to pollinator group) on their farms and to potentially use that information when making management decisions. Participating farmers can use the results of this part of the project to trace and evaluate their own experiences and changes in knowledge. Ideally, farmers will be willing to share and transfer their learning with other non‐participating farmers.