# Rumor or not????? Maine Blueberries



## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

I was in Washington County today and saw blueberry fields starting to bloom. I also saw several fields with bees placed for pollination. Does every field that needs them have bees? I have no idea.


----------



## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

Everyone I know who pollenates, just got their bees in tothe apple orchards. Aren't blueberries supposed to come after?


----------



## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Everything in the east is weeks ahead of normal. Pear blossoms have come and gone and blueberries here in MA have been in blossom for the last week and a half.


----------



## Fogducker (May 6, 2010)

There weren't any honey bees here when Columbus "discovered" America, but things got pollinated pretty good. I read where the female black fly does the pollinating of the blueberries---there sure are plenty of them in Maine and here in Michigan.

Fog


----------



## dbest (Aug 9, 2005)

Fogducker said:


> There weren't any honey bees here when Columbus "discovered" America, but things got pollinated pretty good. I read where the female black fly does the pollinating of the blueberries---there sure are plenty of them in Maine and here in Michigan.
> 
> Fog


Yea they also didn't plant crops in large fields People grew most of the food they ate...instead of relying on others to do it for them, then complaining about how its done and how much is costs.


----------



## Show-me (Aug 3, 2007)

Fogducker said:


> There weren't any honey bees here when Columbus "discovered" America, but things got pollinated pretty good. I read where the female black fly does the pollinating of the blueberries---there sure are plenty of them in Maine and here in Michigan.
> 
> Fog


Everything is two weeks ahead here too. 

The Orchard Bee is one North America's native pollinators. Don't see many of them anymore.


----------



## bees1st (May 2, 2006)

Maine blueberries are NOT planted they groww wild


----------



## PerryBee (Dec 3, 2007)

Up and over here in Nova Scotia the blueberry (low bush/wild) are starting to bloom. Got a call yesterday from one of the guys I pollinate for and he was out in his field freaking out, his plants are in bloom. I don't understand why these guys wait until the last possible second, call, and then practically plead for bees. Why does no one call a month or two in advance and touch base? I lost about 40% this winter, did some splits to make up for it when no one called for bees. I guess the parent colonies will be what he gets cause they're the best I have left.
On another note, the growers 3 years ago got around $1.10/lb for berries. 2 years ago around $.72/lb. Last year $.35/lb.  
One grower actually lost $700 on his crop last year. Some talk now about doing U-pick and not hiring bees or the harvester to save/not lose money.
Perry


----------



## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

I sent a load from Fl on April 27 they are due to be released probably next weekend. They usually go in the middle of May. Its early up north and late down south.


----------



## coopermaple (Aug 30, 2009)

Wild blueberries are blossoming here on part of the farm. Not really a great number of blooms though.


----------



## AstroZomBEE (Aug 1, 2006)

I drove the last of our 5000 colonies to Maine over Mother's Day weekend. Started Shipping the last week of April.

Expecting to start pulling them out next week, 


Astrozombee


----------



## honeyhaus (Nov 12, 2004)

We had the latest orange bloom in Florida this year, in the 10 that we have been going there. And this is the first year that we put bees in Blueberries the first week of May. Made for a busy, busy time but still am grateful for the best occupation on earth!! Apples were the 3rd week of April, the earliest in all of the years that we pollinated them also.


----------

