Was the logic that they don't collect the pollen because the tree is 
wind pollinated, or there was some observation(s) that bees did not 
collect pollen from this particular sp.?

It was a bit of both. Career entomologists had spent a lot of time and effort developing methods to control emerald ash borer in ash trees. The plan was to inject the trees with systemic pesticides. When I raised the suggestion that bees might be collecting ash pollen, there was a lot of denial. The statement that the are wind pollinated, therefore bees don't collect that pollen, is nonsense, as we know. I quickly found several papers where it was clearly documented that honey bees do in fact collect ash pollen, particularly when it is the only pollen available (sometimes it's mixed with maple and dandelion). The so-called experts didn't want to hear this stuff, as it interfered with their plans. Incidentally, I never said that I thought the levels of pesticides might be harmful, just that they should be looking at it. Which they didn't want to do.

PLB

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