> http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11761
> Long-term trends for several wild bee species -- especially
> bumblebees -- as well as some butterflies, bats, and
> hummingbirds also show population drops, the committee
> found. The causes of decline in wild pollinators vary by
> species and are difficult to determine, the report says.

Yes, Peter, that report said certain wild bee SPECIES show population
drops (e.g. Franklin's bumblebee that lives on a remote mountain
in Oregon far away from any croplands).  But the report did not claim
the overall abundance (biomass) of wild bees, butterflies, bats and
hummingbirds has dropped substantially on a landscape scale, or 
dropped to the point of deminishing crop yields.

I'm unaware of any crop yield statistics that show yields of almonds,
apples, cherries, kiwis, etc. have been compromised in recent years
due to lack of either native or managed pollinators.

> The decline of pollinators is serious, it is real, and a lot of
> bright minds are convening at Penn State this month to
> address the situation.

As I said in my earlier post, even if it is true both the diversity and
abundance of native pollinators is declining, neither the academics
nor the pollinator groups have proposed land management changes
that would be logistically feasible and financially affordable
for society to implement on a landscape scale, hence the
native pollinator declines will continue no matter how much
funding they receive to "address the situation."  

Paul Cherubini
El Dorado, Calif.

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