Drone flies match honey bees pollinating berries
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- Dr. Abby Davis used in-field cages to compare pollination by the brown blow fly (Calliphora stygia) and the drone fly (Eristalis tenax) on commercial blackberry and raspberry crops.
- Drone fly consistently produced higher‑quality fruit than the brown blow fly, especially in blackberry, and matched the size and quality of bee‑pollinated berries under natural field conditions.
- Brown blow fly was less effective on its own, sometimes yielding lower‑quality fruit, but could still complement other pollinators such as honey bees and stingless bees.
- Drone fly maintained higher foraging activity on blackberry flowers in full‑sized commercial polytunnels across winter and spring seasons, delivering effective pollination comparable to managed honey bees.
- Drone fly remained active on flowers during cooler temperatures when honey bee activity declines, suggesting improved pollination reliability in colder or variable weather conditions.
- University of New England plans further research to refine fly deployment practices, test additional fly species and crops, and assess interactions with wild pollinator communities.
Why it matters: Berry growers gain a reliable pollinator that works in cooler temps and protected polytunnels, reducing dependence on honey bees and mitigating pollinator shortages, while growers of other crops may need to adapt to new pollinator management practices and potentially benefit from diversified pollination strategies.
