Bees and wildflowers are maybe the most classic example of symbiotic mutualism. Bees have been intentionally pollinating flowers for around 120 million years- a relationship which provides the bees with pollen and nectar to feed on, and flowers with cross-pollination in order to reproduce. The wild blueberry bushes that grow all over the local mountain sides are particularly dependent on bee pollination, as they have heavy pollen encased in perforated “poricidal anthers”, which the pollen must be shaken out of like a salt shaker. (Most flowers have pollen that is much more easily accessible for pollinators, and can even be blown about by the wind). To pollinate a blueberry flower, the bee must crawl inside, grab the base of the anther in their mouths and rapidly vibrate their jaw muscles at 440 Hz, which causes the pollen to come pouring out. This is called buzz pollination, and is a skill specific to bumble bees and other wild bee species. Honey bees cannot buzz pollinate, so the presence of native bees such as the half-black bumble bee, Bombus vagans and the threatened western bumble bee, Bombus occidentalis- which are the bees in this painting- are especially important in the pollination of wild plants and berries, and need to be protected and conserved.

Bears also have an important mutualistic relationship with blueberry bushes- once the flowers have been pollinated by the bees and turned into berries, the bears strip the berries off the branches using their extremely agile and sticky tongues (which allow them to remove only the berries, leaving the branches and leaves behind!) They then roam to a new location, excreting the seeds and allowing blueberry patches to take root in new locations. All together, these three species make an excellent summertime team, and ensure that the blueberry population which is so important for so many species remains healthy and viable.

This 11x14” print comes unframed, and is packaged in a compostable cellophane bag.