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Subject:
From:
"Whitney S. Cranshaw" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Discussion of Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 29 Jan 1996 16:39:55 -0700
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I am trying to develop a value on the pollination of honeybees to the state
of Colorado.  I have done this in the past using a combination of published
crop values and some figures on the crop's dependence on honeybees for
pollination. The figures when I crunch the numbers are very impressive -
adding in excess of $20 million(US)/yr directly for crops grown within the
state dependent on pollinating insects (apples, melons, etc.) and a $240
million/yr indirect value for crops that are grown within the state and
require pollinating insects to product their seed (e.g., onions, carrots...)
 
I am doing this using state Agricultural Statistics figures combined with
some figures that I inherited from Bob Simpson, a beekeeper and former
Professor at Colorado State.  (Bob unfortunately passed away last December.)
The values that he had provided included 1) percentage of the crop that was
dependent on insects for pollination; and 2) the percentage of the
pollinating insects that were honeybees.
 
However, I have no idea where the above figures on pollination value came
from (e.g., percentage of crop dependent on insects for
pollination/percentage of pollinators that are honeybees).
 
My question:
 
What is a good reference that estimates the dependence of crops on
pollination by insects and by honeybees?  I need specific values (e.g., 80%
dependent on insect pollination; 50% dependent on honeybees as the insect
pollinator).
 
There is some urgency to this request as the Legislature is about to
consider a bill naming a "State Insect".  The honeybee has been proposed.
(Eleven other states have the honeybee as their state insect.)
 
Your assistance is appreciated.
 
Whitney Cranshaw
[log in to unmask]
 
P.S.  I also appreciate those that responded to my last question regarding
"Le soufflet", a purported beekeepers tool listed in a children's book I was
looking over.  Apparently it is a bellows used to assist in moving the smoke
of the smoker, before the two functions were combined in a modern smoker.

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