Pin-Up Girls: Blue Orchard Bees
These pretty girls are great pollinators. In recent years, the blue orchard bee (BOB) has become established as an alternative orchard pollinator in North America. With a strong preference for fruit trees, BOBs are highly efficient pollinators; in fact, just 250-300 females will pollinate an entire acre of apples or cherries (they do get around!). BOBs forage and pollinate under cloudy skies and at lower temperatures than most other bees. They are easy to manage and rarely sting. When properly managed, they can provide excellent pollination on their own or with honey bees.
A good fit – Almond, cherry, pear, and apple trees. BOB females visit many trees in a short time and readily move between rows of trees.
