>> James Fischer wrote:
>>> These advocates of native pollinators can't list even
>>> a single example crop
randy oliver wrote:
> Squashes and sunflowers are native American crops that grew naturally
> here before the honeybee arrived.
> Alfalfa is nonnative, but is effectively pollinated by the alfalfa
> leafcutter bee, and alkali bee.
> Blueberries in my area are pollinated entirely by bumblebees.
Tomatoes are pollinated by bumblebees, as honey bees are not heavy
enough to trigger pollination -- according to the late Charlie Rick, the
UC Davis tomato research guru.
Gordon Frankie, the expert on native pollinators at UC Berkeley suggests
that we don't get up early enough to watch the iridescent blue squash
bees pollinating in the mornings.
Mea McNeil
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