Who are we?
A team of researchers from the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, and the University of Calgary, working in cooperation with the BC Blueberry Council and Fraser Valley blueberry growers.
What are we doing?
We are creating a tool for blueberry growers to use to help decide where around their farms to plant wildflowers, which will attract wild bumble bees.
Contact Us
Dr. Rebecca C. TysonUBC Okanagan
IKBSAS Unit5, Science Building
3333 University Way
Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 Canada
P: 250.807.8766
E:
Why is this useful?
Bumble bees are much more effective pollinators of blueberries than honey bees, but bumble bee populations in agricultural areas are suffering. Wildflowers are a great way to encourage more bumble bees to visit your blueberries.
How can I use it?
On this this page, you can outline a map of your property, blueberry fields, and potential wildflower planting sites. The map will be used to simulate bumble bee activity on your fields for a period of several years, with wildflowers planted in the different locations. You will get results showing the differences in bee visits and pollination services for each wildflower planting option.