[ExI] bees again

[BillK]

On Sat, Nov 17, 2012 at 3:48 PM, spike wrote:
> Cool thanks MB,  myth busted!  Any article that uses alliteration like that
> must be true: Peponalis prininosa probably pollinated pilgrims' pie pumpkins
> perfectly.
>
>

I think it is more complicated than it first appears.
Yes, the squash bee is native to the US and it pollinates squash
plants very well. In gardens they probably do fine, as the writer
suggests.

But modern farms can be hundreds of acres in size and farmers need to
provide a suitable environment for a large number of squash bees to
nest in. So if farmers want to use squash bees, they have to plan for
cultivating them as well as their squash plants. Squash bees nest in
the ground near to squash plants and tilling the ground and spraying
insecticide will probably kill them off. So modern farming practice
often means that farmers have to bring in hives of honey bees to make
sure all their plants get pollinated.


BillK