Habropoda laboriosa
Encyclopedia
The southeastern blueberry bee, Habropoda laboriosa, is a native bee in the family Apidae
in the United States
. It is regarded as the most efficient pollinator
of southern rabbiteye blueberries
, as the flowers require buzz pollination
, and H. laboriosa is one of the few bees that exhibit this behavior.
Apidae
The Apidae are a large family of bees, comprising the common honey bees, stingless bees , carpenter bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees, bumblebees, and various other less well-known groups...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is regarded as the most efficient pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
of southern rabbiteye blueberries
Rabbiteye blueberry
Rabbiteye Blueberry is a species of blueberry native to the Southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas...
, as the flowers require buzz pollination
Buzz pollination
Sonication or buzz pollination is a technique used by some bees to release pollen which is more or less firmly held by the anthers, which makes pollination more efficient. The anther of buzz-pollinated species of plants is typically tubular, with an opening at only one end, and the pollen is inside...
, and H. laboriosa is one of the few bees that exhibit this behavior.