Saturday afternoon I came across a patch of flowering bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) in a sandy clearing that was absolutely abuzz with bumblebees. Its short, sprawling growth form seems vine-like, but bearberries are actually low growing, evergreen shrubs. The waxy leaves are 1/2 to 1 inch long and taper at the base. Bearberries  are a member of the blueberry family (Ericaceae), and like blueberries have small, hanging bell-shaped flowers. The white flowers, which are often tipped with pink, are pollinated by bees (as was very evident during my encounter).

Bumblebees (Bombus sp.) use their long tongue, also called a proboscis, to reach into the base of a flower’s corolla to lap up nectar. Tongue lengths vary by species. The longer the tongue, the deeper the bumblebee can probe into a flower. As such, bees probably learn by experience which flower source is best-suited to their tongue length for most efficient feeding. When at rest or flying, bumblebees fold their proboscis up under their heads.

Note how long the bumblebee’s proboscis is.

Bearberry flowers develop into small red berries later in the summer. The fruits are edible, but have a dry mealy taste. Although I certainly don’t target these berries when foraging, it would seem that wildlife aren’t as picky, especially in the winter. The name “bearberry” comes from the fact that the fruits are said to be enjoyed by bears. In fact, the species name “uva-ursi” literally means bear (ursi) berry (uva). The berries are slow to rot and are able to persist on the plant into the winter, thereby serving as an emergency food for wildlife. Given that there are no bears on Cape Cod, it’s likely that other wildlife will consume them instead.