Here is a link to a journal article comparing native and non-native pollinators of Haskap. They concluded that native bumble bees (compared to orchard bees and honey bees) have the highest pollen deposition per visit, visited the most flowers in a given period of time and could fly at the coldest temperatures, making them the most suited for successful pollination at least in cooler springs. Another interesting thing to note is Figure 1c in the paper. It shows a fruit in which the bracteoles have not fused around the two ovaries of the paired flowers. I find this interesting because I observed several fruits shaped like this and wondered what caused it. Understanding the biology of the flower, the formation makes more sense! KD Fairbanks
Frier, S.D, C.M. Somers and C.S. Sheffield. 2016. Comparing the performance of native and managed pollinators of Haskap (Lonicera caerulea: Caprifoliaceae), an emerging fruit crop. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 219:42-48.
