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North American native pollinators (including most bumblebees) are believed
to be in decline for a host of reasons, especially habitat loss and
pesticide use. Because of the complex interactions between native
pollinators and native plants, loss of native pollinators will likely bring
on the collapse of entire ecosystems.
Honey bees are not native to the Americas. Humans are economically dependent
on honey bees largely because we have introduced a style of large-scale
agriculture that depends on trucking pollinators from one location to
another by the millions. (Until recently, honey bees were the only
pollinator that could be trucked long distances in quantity. Because of the
decline in honey bee populations some other species are now being tried, but
on nothing like the scale that honey bees are used.)
It's possible that our dependence on honey bees has contributed to the
decline of native bee species. Studies designed to try to determine whether
honey bees compete with native bees for food have been deemed inconclusive.
However, the Xerces Society's "Pollinator Conservation Handbook" (a
fantastic resource) states: ".it is hard to imagine that the presence of
honey bees would not affect native bees living in the same area if there is
limited forage available." The Xerces Society also points out that, as honey
bees are less effective at pollinating native plants than native bees are,
native plants that are visited by honey bees may set less seed; this in turn
would undermine both native plant populations and the populations of native
bees that are dependent on them. Finally, conversion of land to large-scale
agriculture, encouraged by the honey bee industry, destroys habitat for
native bees.
One of the best things any of us can do under these circumstances is to
create good habitat for all pollinators, but especially for native bees. We
can do this on our own gardens but we can also support local farmers who
avoid using pesticides and create good habitat for native pollinators. The
Xerces Society website has a downloadable booklet, "Farming for Bees:
Guidelines for Creating Native Bee Habitat on Farms," at
http://www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Farming_for_Bees_2nd_ed
ition.pdf
For great information about conservation of native pollinators and other
native invertebrates, see the Xerces Society (founded by Robert Michael Pyle
and named after the Xerces butterfly, which is now extinct) home page:
http://www.xerces.org/index.htm
For a campaign to conserve all pollinators, see the North American
Pollinator Protection Campaign: http://www.nappc.org/
And the Pollinator Partnership: http://www.pollinator.org/
Wild Flora
http://www.wildgardeners.blogspot.com/
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>North American native pollinators (including most =
bumblebees) are
believed to be in decline for a host of reasons, especially habitat loss =
and
pesticide use. Because of the complex interactions between native =
pollinators
and native plants, loss of native pollinators will likely bring on the =
collapse
of entire ecosystems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Honey bees are not native to the Americas. Humans are
economically dependent on honey bees largely because we have introduced =
a style
of large-scale agriculture that depends on trucking pollinators from one =
location
to another by the millions. (Until recently, honey bees were the only =
pollinator
that could be trucked long distances in quantity. Because of the decline =
in
honey bee populations some other species are now being tried, but on =
nothing
like the scale that honey bees are used.) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>It’s possible that our dependence on honey bees has
contributed to the decline of native bee species. Studies designed to =
try to
determine whether honey bees compete with native bees for food have been =
deemed
inconclusive. However, the Xerces Society’s “Pollinator
Conservation Handbook” (a fantastic resource) states: =
“…it is
hard to imagine that the presence of honey bees would not affect native =
bees
living in the same area if there is limited forage available.” The =
Xerces
Society also points out that, as honey bees are less effective at =
pollinating
native plants than native bees are, native plants that are visited by =
honey bees
may set less seed; this in turn would undermine both native plant =
populations and
the populations of native bees that are dependent on them. Finally, =
conversion
of land to large-scale agriculture, encouraged by the honey bee =
industry,
destroys habitat for native bees.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>One of the best things any of us can do under these
circumstances is to create good habitat for all pollinators, but =
especially for
native bees. We can do this on our own gardens but we can also =
support
local farmers who avoid using pesticides and create good habitat for =
native
pollinators. The Xerces Society website has a downloadable booklet, =
“Farming
for Bees: Guidelines for Creating Native Bee Habitat on Farms,” at =
http://www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Farming_for_Bees_2nd=
_edition.pdf<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For great information about conservation of native =
pollinators
and other native invertebrates, see the Xerces Society (founded by =
Robert
Michael Pyle and named after the Xerces butterfly, which is now extinct) =
home
page: <a =
href=3D"http://www.xerces.org/index.htm">http://www.xerces.org/index.htm<=
/a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For a campaign to conserve all pollinators, see the North
American Pollinator Protection Campaign: <a =
href=3D"http://www.nappc.org/">http://www.nappc.org/</a><o:p></o:p></span=
></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>And the Pollinator Partnership: <a
href=3D"http://www.pollinator.org/">http://www.pollinator.org/</a><o:p></=
o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Wild Flora<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><a =
href=3D"http://www.wildgardeners.blogspot.com/">http://www.wildgardeners.=
blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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</body>
</html>
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