| Re: Is the bee overrated as far as pollinator? What about Hoverflies |
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Group: sci.agriculture · Group Profile
Author: Larry CaldwellLarry Caldwell Date: May 10, 2008 18:26
> I miss seeing bees and bumblebees in my apricot orchard this time of
> year. Approx 2003
> to 2006 my trees of apricots, plums would be full of bee and bumblebee
> activity.
The only places the European honey bee is essential is in large
monoculture open pollinated crops, like clover. In orchards, all you
have to do is provide native bees habitat and not kill them off with
pesticides, and they will serve as pollinators just fine. You won't get
the honey crop, but the fruit will do fine.
I have no idea why your bumble bees are absent. In my area, we have had
a cold spring, and the bumble bees have not had enough warm weather to
really start working. There are at least two strains of European honey
bee that are working from wild hives, and the miner bees are out.
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