Changing the phenology of flowering times in cranberries not only affects cultivators but it also affects species that closely interact with the cranberries. Lycaena epixanthe, bog copper butterflies, are affected by earlier flowering times of cranberries (Ellwood, Playfair, Polgar, et al. Int J Biometeorol 2014). Adult bog copper butterflies consume flower nectar while the developing caterpillars consume shoots and leaves. Two major ecological issues occur when the phenology of the cranberry changes. First, the phenology of the bog copper butterfly may not match up with its food source; the cranberry. Second, if the cranberry flowers earlier and cultivators spray herbicide earlier, then the bog copper butterflies may come after the cultivators have sprayed rather than before. This may have negative impacts on the survival rate of the bog copper butterfly. Cultivators may find it easier to yield a crop that is not consumed by the bog copper butterfly caterpillars, however, they still need the butterfly as a pollinator for future crops. The use of pollinators in agriculture has been well studied in regards to bees as pollinators (Bartomeus et al.). Understanding this process is important as it may clarify the process of earlier flowering times and pollination for both agricultural purposes as well as in the wild.
Recent comments