Pollinating Blueberries

[Jon D.]

I have a friend who has a small plot of blueberries. It has not grown a lot of fruit in the past, and after discussion we decided it was from a lack of pruning and pollination. So I offered to bring him some bees when the bushes blossom for pollination.

My question is in three parts:
1) Will one nuc suffice to pollinate about a quarter acre of blueberries?

2) Does anyone know when blueberries blossom here in Michigan, so I know when I need to have the nuc ready.

3) If I use a split hive without a queen (in the process of raising one), will they still be able to pollinate?

Thanks for any help or knowledge you might have.

[Neubee]

I'm not sure about the second and third question but it usually takes 5-10 colonies per acre for good pollination. It also depend on some of other factors too. If you get the American Bee Journal there's an class room answer in the March issue on p.187 on blueberry pollination

APK

[COUNT ZERO]

I've heard the polination window for blueberries is three days so you want to be ready at the drop of a hat.

[power napper]

I have a patch of blueberries (56) bushes and the honey bees ignore it for other nectars, bumble bees polinate my blueberries.

[beegee]

My blueberry patch finished blooming last week. I think there may be 8-10 bushes. The honeybees didn't even bother with them, but they were wrapped up with bumblebees. My honeybees are working clover, dandelion, some vetch-like stuff with purple flowers and poplar i sjust starting to bloom. Anyway, my hives were located right in the midst of our blueberry pacth last year and I had plenty of blueberries. The bushes were full and I pickerd them every day. My wife made me move the beehives from the site because she got stung trying to pick berries.