01/12/2026
The (non-native) European Honey Bee gets a lot of love and press here in Maine and beyond, because hey, EVERY human loves honey!
But allow us to introduce you to a native Maine bee: the Maine Blueberry Bee (Osmia atriventris). While they don't make honey, they deserve our attention - Two wildly cool facts about the Maine Blueberry bee:
*Maine Blueberry Bees have coevolved with wild Maine Blueberries for at least the past 10K years. When wild blueberry flowers present their pollen behind anther pores, to release it a bee must buzz its flight muscles in a very specific frequency sequence to stimulate the pollen out. Due to their mutualistic co-evolution, Maine Blueberry Bees "know the song" of this specific flower and are most efficient at extracting the pollen from it! (Unlike European honeybees, who, while technically able to clunkily perform the task, are much less efficient)! If you've ever enjoyed a wild Maine blueberry, you likely have an O. atriventris to thank!
* Bonus points - They have metallic blue bodies, snazzily matching their soul food, the wild Maine blueberry!
We look forward to the Spring 2026 installation of native bee nests in and around our multiple groves of wild Maine blueblerries here at the Sanctuary.
Photos: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab, Xerces Society
