pollinator exclusion

Knowledge graph centered on pollinator exclusion with 68 nodes and 152 connections. Top connected: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Two-form Bumble Bee, Bumble Bees, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee.

Method synopsis

Application of fine-mesh bags over flowers to prevent pollinator access while maintaining airflow and light penetration. Uses Del Star polyethylene bags with 0.5mm pores applied to approximately 50% of flowers per plant.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 3 papers using this protocol.

Procedure as described in the canonical source

Steps below were extracted from the paper that introduces this protocol — Pollinator exclusion devices permitting easy access to flowers of small herbaceous plants (2011), Journal of Pollination Ecology. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Construct flexible fabric bag with open end
   Create or modify a flexible fabric bag where the open end is not intended to be gathered around the stem, but instead has a wide bottom hem similar to a wide drawstring tunnel
   Quantities: Single bag constructionDuration: Not specifiedConditions: Not specified
   Equipment: flexible fabric, sewing materials
2. Fill sandbag-style bottom with substrate
   Fill the wide bottom hem with sand or fine gravel to create a sandbag-style bottom edge that has a double function: its mass anchors the bag in place, and its flexibility provides for automatic sealing by conforming to irregular contours at the ground surface
   Quantities: Sufficient sand or fine gravel to anchor bagDuration: Not specifiedConditions: Not specified
   Equipment: sand, fine gravel
3. Install wire support structure
   Bend stiff wire into the shape of a round-topped croquet hoop and stuck into the ground at right angles to serve well as stand-offs that prevent the bag from contacting the flowers or collapsing when wet
   Quantities: Two pieces of stiff wire per bag, each bent into round-topped croquet hoop shapeDuration: Not specified

Typical Equipment

• Del Star polyethylene bags
• 0.5mm pore mesh

Output Measurements

• pollination exclusion treatment

Papers Using This Protocol (3)

Species Studied With This Protocol

Places Where Used