Most growers would agree that using bird netting for blueberries is a hassle. The nets need to be installed and removed every year, making growers lose so much time and patience.
Green lasers are becoming widely popular among blueberry growers as a simpler and cost-effective alternative to bird netting. Blueberry growers use various bird control tactics to prevent crop loss; one of these is bird netting. Netting can be reasonably effective in protecting blueberries from birds as the nets create a physical barrier that prevents birds from eating the ripe, juicy fruits. Especially when it comes to small plantings with severe crop loss (around 50%), the nets may pay for themselves in a couple of years by increasing the yield.
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Issues of Using Nets to Protect Blueberries from Birds
Even though this bird control method is quite adequate, there are three critical issues to consider when choosing it to protect blueberries from birds:
Costly:
Bird netting can become very expensive when deployed in wide areas as high-quality nets are costly and labor-intensive to install and maintain. Furthermore, choosing the wrong nets can have negative consequences on a grower’s hard work and revenue.
Challenging to install:
Installing bird netting over blueberry bushes and fruit trees is a tedious process that requires time and patience. At the end of the harvesting season, the nets need to be gently removed to be installed the following year again. If not installed correctly, birds will still access the blueberries and have a yummy buffet.
Fragile:
Bird netting is made of a delicate mesh that can easily get damaged, allowing birds to get to your blueberries. If not immediately fixed, holes and rips can spread and become irreparable. When this happens, the nets can not be reused for the next season.
Best Bird Netting Alternative
Green lasers are widely utilized as an effective alternative to bird netting. Birds perceive certain laser frequencies as physical objects and tend to escape them. By projecting a green laser light in your blueberry field, you can scare away pesky birds and protect your juicy blueberries.
Bird Control Group is the world’s leader in laser bird control technology, we are proud to be their trusted resellers in Australia. The AVIX Autonomic automated laser bird deterrent is proven to reduce bird presence by more than 70% and significantly reduce crop loss due to bird damage.
Why Choose Laser Bird Deterrents Over Blueberry Netting?
Easy to install: the AVIX Autonomic can be programmed remotely via an App to run a set of projection patterns customized to its environment and the bird’s behavior. More than 16 patterns make the system never predictable, so birds do not get accustomed to it.
Easy to maintain: the automated lasers need little to no maintenance. The laser bulb can be quickly replaced every 3-5 years.
Effective across long distances and wide areas: one laser system can cover up to 25 acres depending on the farm’s landscape.
Cost-effective: most AVIX Autonomic users get their return on investment in the first year.
For example, Justin Meduri’s blueberry farm increases revenue by 33% with the lasers, saving $100,000 per year on crop loss. Meduri Farms supplies dried fruits globally and is based in Dallas Oregon.
Similarly, the owner of Griffin’s Lair successfully replaced bird netting with the AVIX Autonomic laser bird deterrent. In this way, he achieved a 99.8% reduction in birds – saving more than 25,000 US dollars per year on netting and labor costs!
Are you curious to know more about how laser technology can save you time and money by replacing bird netting at your blueberry farm?