Whoa there Jim!

> There is no doubt that these bumblebees are
> extinct due solely to the efforts of the
> "native pollinator" lobby, who so skillfully
> grabbed ....

Can I express some doubt?!  That argument seems a little contrived.  Here are some possible culprits:

- anyone who ever converted the wild lands where these bees flew into farmland
- anyone who built on those lands
- anyone who contributed to a subtle change in climate
- anyone spraying (oops, sorry!) pesticides on land near where those remnant populations struggled to get by

and ....

- the people who delivered the final coup de grace by permitting, encouraging, organising and delivering pathogen-infested imported commercial bumble bees

Like CCD in honeybees, the loss of these species (something that I greatly regret) is likely to be multi-factorial and complex.  It is also likely to be something we should all learn from, and even gives reason to build bridges and collaborate with people interested in conserving Apidae.

best wishes

Gavin

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