In a message dated 96-06-07 10:37:11 EDT, Doug Yanega writes:
>>Bee experts said that they can't predict how the
>> decline in the wild bee population will affect wild plants and the
>> animals that eat them. But they guessed that in places such as New
>> York and New Jersey, which may have no wild honeybees left, there
>> aren't going to be too many wild berries this year.
>
>Is there anyone besides me who finds this (and other pronouncements of doom
>in this article) to be excessively pessimistic, ignoring the possible
>ameliorating effects of *native* bee species? There *is* a native bee
>expert in Shimanuki's lab there in Beltsville, after all - so there is no
>obvious excuse for them to neglect to mention this anywhere.
>Exasperated, as usual,
>
>Doug Yanega Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr.
Your point is well taken, Doug, but the other pollinators around here are
in just as bad shape.
There are some who think they will recover. Well, the American chestnut,
and the American elm probably will *eventually* recover, but it will be a
darn slow process without a lot of help.
I hear a lot of talk about other pollinators, but don't see much chance of
protecting and enhancing these, particularly when the primary means of
evading enforcement of pesticide label directions is to order the beekeeper
to move or protect his bees. Any pollinator here whose life cycle intersects
with cotton bloom is in danger of eradication.
How much is just talk, and how much is serious effort? And how little
dissemination of info on culture of alternative pollinators (trade secrets?)
I admire and thank Keith Delaplane for finally getting some real info on
bumblebee culture to those of us who'd like to try. He's a mover and shaker
in the beekeeping world.
Doug, you are also ignoring the way agriculture has changed, even in one
generation. There is just no way unmanaged, uncultured wild pollinators are
going to be adequate in a monoculture situation. You can decry the
monoculture, but I doubt you (or I) could stop it.
In just the past ten years, I've seen many of the smaller cuke and melon
growers quit. One reason is that they relied on wild pollinators, or skimped
on honeybees. I listen to them complain that they can't make any money. The
big growers use bees in a lot better ratio, and they don't complain; they
just increase acreage for another year.
Well, we've just completed one of the best springs with the fewest hives
we've had in recent years. I wanted to save some hives out to go to
sourwood, but most of these have been taken by desperate melon growers who
suddenly found out about the bees (after losing the crown bloom crop). We've
got some nucs left; perhaps they can be beefed up enough in two weeks????
The honeybees are in great shape, with many hives having bees out on the
porch, as they used to in the "good ole' days." Of course the cotton bloom
hasn't started yet. We haven't had a trace of any pesticide damage yet this
year. Wheat we've seen has been clean of mustard, or else perhaps hasn't
been sprayed. The martins and swallows may have done a sufficient job. They
sure were "swarming" over the wheat fields.
Keeping our fingers crossed and our camcorder ready. Hopefully my efforts
to protect honeybees will also protect other pollinators.
[log in to unmask] Dave Green, PO Box 1200, Hemingway, SC
29554
Practical Pollination Home Page Dave & Janice Green
http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
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