Without the study to read, if bumblebees are lumped in with honeybees, then
we do have a problem and not from the obvious.

They are different. For example, without getting into the physiology, both
have different pollination techniques with different plants, such as
blueberries and tomatoes. So the amounts of pollen and nectar can be very
different depending on the plant, hence dosages will be different. Less
bumblebee queens is easily explained by the differences in the colonies and
how they raise queens. But is there a corresponding decrease in honeybee
queens? How did they measure it? Bumblebees is fairly easy to measure.

But, maybe that is all explained in the study. It is nice to be able to
read them without a pay wall, especially since many of the studies are
already paid for by the taxpayers. Otherwise we are at the mercy of
interpreters who can lump all bees together.

If I recall, Jerry B did not have much enthusiasm for one of the sets of
studies. Was this the one?

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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