If it were not for the bees, our blueberries would not be some of the sweetest in the world. In New Brunswick, bees serve as allies for the farmers who rely on them for pollination. In recent years, there has been a shortage of bees along with a growing demand for pollination from the already thriving farms. So, the role of bees is more critical than ever.

“Most of your fruit set and production depends on the level of pollination. So, it’s significant to have these bees here pollinating these flowers,” explained Paul Kelly, a Technical Sales Manager at Koppert Canada.

Both bumblebees and honeybees are critical for New Brunswick farmers. The combined visits by both kinds of bees help create a better seed set, larger fruit, and higher yields. Adequate fruit size determines the freshness of blueberries.

“We use a mix of bumblebees and honeybees to get the best of both worlds,” added Kelly. “Bumblebees pollinate on cold, windy, rainy days, as well as warm days. Then, a great number of honeybees pollinate on those nice days.
This way, we use all the weather.”

Wild blueberry crops need pollination for good health, and many producers create colonies to help the crop.

Kelly works with wild blueberry producers across New Brunswick, PEI, and Nova Scotia, making regular visits to inspect the colonies for quality and performance.

He added, “Worker bees fly in winds of up to 60 km/h. They can work in temperatures as low as five degrees, up to about 28 degrees. Their range of pollination is appropriate for these kinds of conditions.”

The bees’ resilience and adaptability are essential for the blueberry farming community. Without the bees pollinating, we would not have ample berries, and the blooming blueberry fields of New Brunswick would not be as healthy.

“You’re not going to be able to pull the kind of yields on each acre of crop without having the bees here for pollination. It’s critical to have these bees here pollinating,” concluded Kelly.