BEE (HYMENOPTERA, APOIDEA) DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE ON CRANBERRY IN SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Diversity and abundance of bee pollinators foraging on cranberry in so utheastern Massachusetts were studied from 1900 to 1992. Both collecti ons and observations of bees were used to compare the effects of habit at, bog location and size, and year. Although there was a high diversi ty of native bee pollinators, the abundance of most was very low excep t for a few bumble bee species and honey bees. Nonapid bees were more abundant and diverse on abandoned and natural bogs than on cultivated bogs; bumble bees were similarly abundant and diverse in the thr ee ha bitats; and honey bees were present in large numbers only on cultivate d bogs where colonies had been placed. In 1991, some sites Bad more bu mble bees than honey tees even though colonies were present. Small, cu ltivated bogs tended to have more native bees than did large, cultivat ed bogs. Native bee populations seemed to be affected by weather and s ite attributes such as cropping history and surrounding vegetation. Bu mble bees might be useful as managed pollinators of cranberry.