Bumblebee working the blueberries

The blueberry bushes bloom for about two weeks in early April, and a bumblebee will visit dozens of flowers an hour while they’re open. This one had already packed a full pollen basket and was still going, tongue out for the next bloom before her wings had even folded.

Why it matters

No blueberries without this exact transaction — the flowers are bell-shaped and largely rely on “buzz pollination,” where bumblebees vibrate their flight muscles against the flower to shake pollen loose. Honey bees can’t do this trick, which makes bumblebees especially valuable for blueberry crops.

Getting the shot

1/800s was just enough to freeze the wings while she hovered. The backlighting turned the wet nectar droplet on her tongue into a bright highlight I didn’t notice until reviewing the frame.