The USDA entomologist who released the Japanese horn-faced bee (not beetle)
(Osmia cornifrons) was Suzanne Batra. Griffin (1999) writes, "Her passion for
the attributes of this pretty little bee has resulted in its introduction to
many parts of the country."
   In their book, "The Forgotten Pollinators", Buchmann and Nabhan introduce
the concept of scramble competition among bees, and say such competition
disrupts many plant/pollinator relationships. They isolate the honey bee for
its "fearsome" foraging force and the efficiency of its dance communication
language.
   But I've identified now repeated introductions of non-native pollinators in
North America — bumble bees outside their native range, alfalfa leafcutter
bees
from Eurasia, Orchard Masons outside their range, the Japanese horn-faced
bee.
   The contribution of any individual insect may be minimized by some, but
cumulatively, doesn't the "Forgotten Polinator" theory predict a significant
amount of scramble competition from these introductions?
   Most of these introductions have been with the assistance and help of
pollination biologists and USDA entomologists. It seems that if we are to buy
into Buchmann and Nabhan's theory and the advocacy that is growing behind it
to
make the ecosystem "as natural as possible," scientists are going to be
radically limited in their ability to engage in such practices in the future,
by regulation, lack of public interest and loss of research money.
   Griffin writes further about the Japanese horn-faced bee:
   "It competes with Orchard Masons for nesting sites. Because it is about
two-thirds the size of the Orchard Mason it can utilize smaller nesting
holes, but is quite happy with a 5/16-inch hole favored by the Orchard Mason.
The author knows of a bee fancier in the Pacific Northwest who introduced O.
cornifrons into his urban lot. They share his Orchard Mason nesting blocks
and he can no longer keep them separate. They co-exist nicely."
   When non-native honey bees are described in relation to native bees by Buch
mann and Nabhan, honey bees are denounced as "exotic interlopers" and for
driving other bees out of their native habitat. Yet when other non-native
insects like the Japanese horn-faced bee are described as successfully
competing with natives by other writers, the alternative pollinators are said
to "co-exist nicely" with the natives.
   It seems to me that how you character an alternative pollinator's effect
on the natives is, to a degree, determined by whether or not you have copped
an attitude about the insect.
John Mitchell