>Perhaps folks from the western USA such as yourself
and Randy Oliver don't have enough Midwestern field
experience to easily recognize the nectar plants that
exist along the margins of the corn and soybean
monocultures.


It's not difficult for a beekeeper from anywhere on Earth to recognize
nectar plants, or to notice the bees foraging on them!  I think that perhaps
you are missing the point.  A 10-ft margin around a 160-acre field of corn
or soybeans is not very much forage for bees, compared to the rest of the
weedless 160 acres.  I'm sure that you could pencil out the math involved.

Of larger import is the effect of sprayed pesticides intended for that 160
acres drifting onto that strip of forage.

No one is saying that you can't find flowers or insects around the fields.
 I also spent time in Minnesota this summer, Paul.  I looked at several bee
yards, and spoke with a number of commercial beekeepers who have been in the
business there for some time.  It is they that explain how they can no
longer run as many colonies in a location as they used to, and who most
notice the effects of pesticides.

Randy Oliver

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