From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bethlehem CT

It has always been somewhat of a mystery to me as to how my bushel gourds get pollinated. I have never witnessed bees working the flowers . So I assumed it was a moth at night, like I have been told. This year I happened to work with my bushel gourd several times in the evening and noticed bumble bees getting pollinations done. At that late hour all other bees have long since gone back to their hive but the bumble bees were still at work. Such an important bee. Has anyone else witnessed insects pollinating their bushel gourd flowers. What were they?

8/28/2019 6:51:14 AM

Colorado

I get honey bees in them in the morning. I get moths too.Ive been growing lg and giant pears for years and it seems the moth population has increased from when i first started.

8/28/2019 9:22:26 AM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

Go out in the middle of the night and turn on a big spotlight and at least for me I see 10-20 hawk moths or hummingbird moths working the flowers over, also see bumble bees and my hummingbirds are going crazy over the flowers right now.

8/28/2019 10:09:00 AM

Grittyville, WA

I have only seen ants and small insects I wouldnt think of as pollinators... My guess is moths do work them. Might depend on night time temps and the phase of the moon? Interesting observation. Thanks for sharing.

8/28/2019 10:14:36 AM

Sharon, MA

Evening moths are doing the deed.

8/29/2019 7:35:15 AM

Central Ca

I have a lot of carpenter bees pollinating everything. Quite a few are “passed out” in the flowers very early morning. I wake them up with a gentle nudge... they stumble around then take off back to work. Mother Nature is awesome.

9/11/2019 2:34:56 PM

Guelph, Ontario

I have seen bees in flowers in the morning. The flowers are still intact at that time. White flower are not usually a preference for bees.

9/13/2019 10:17:55 AM

NE Arkansas

We have hummingbird moths that do alot of the open pollinations here.

9/15/2019 10:26:25 PM

Fuquay Varina, NC

I don't find many honey bees doing any pollination. The bumblebee/carpenter work a few hours in the evening before night but it is the night moths that work all night.

9/29/2019 3:24:34 PM

Guelph, Ontario

When I first started growing bushel gourds and long gourds nothing got pollinated unless I did it by hand . Next year some open pollinated. Now lots of self pollination. Either the moths we need moved in or could be bees visit flowers in early am. We now have 32 honey bee hives on property, which could be a factor.

9/30/2019 8:30:10 AM