>4.How does the hypothesis account for the major reduction in forage over that period of time?  Beekeepers in the Farm Belt have clearly indicated that there is far less forage than there used to be.  That factor alone should have caused honey yields to decrease, not increase.


Since we don't know the exact historical amount of available forage for any given data point, isn't it possible that a decrease in forage can also result in an increase in honey yield as long as the colony density falls at a higher rate than the available floral sources?  It may also be that the growth of invasives has added some level of forage to offset the anecdotal accounts of loss. 




This study traces the growth of both knotweed and mugwort over the 20th century.  

> Japanese knotweed had been collected in 18 US counties and six Canadian municipalities.
The first five decades of the 20th century were witness to an explosion in geographic distribution
and regional density of Japanese knotweed populations. 

>North American history of two invasive plant species: phytogeographic
distribution, dispersal vectors, and multiple introductions
Jacob N. Barney Department of Horticulture, Cornell University

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-005-3174-9

Bill Hesbach
Cheshire CT

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