By Susan Milius
Bumblebees sneak out from work, too, and fugitives buzzing away from the job at commercial greenhouses could be spreading diseases to wild bumblebees and contributing to pollinator declines.
Greenhouse growers bring in the bumblebees for tomatoes and other crops that need what’s called “buzz pollination,” a strong vibration that shakes loose the pollen. Honeybees don’t give the buzz, but bumblebees do.