4 ms·
Yeah, I don’t give a damn about European honeybees (which are imported cattle), it’s the native pollinators I worry about. Ironically “hooray more bees!” headli
by Modified3019 3y ago
Yeah, I don’t give a damn about European honeybees (which are imported cattle), it’s the native pollinators I worry about. Ironically “hooray more bees!” headlines just mean more stress on natives due to disease (which isn’t just mites, but imported virus complexes and possibly fungi as well) and sometimes even local food source depletion by honeybee hives.
- pvaldes 3y ago> I don’t give a damn about European honeybees Do you like to eat "American" apples?, or almonds?
- giantg2 3y agoOther types of bees that are more effiecent at pollination could be used, such as Mason bees. It would require a little more more work to change things over and there wouldn't be the benefit of honey.
- pvaldes 3y agoMason bees have their own set of problems. Like the need to breed it and import the insects each time in some areas where they can't survive winter, or favouring some ornamental trees over most common cultured fruit trees.
- giantg2 3y agoIt seems they're already in limited use. https://extension.psu.edu/orchard-pollination-solitary-mason-bees https://extension.psu.edu/orchard-pollination-solitary-mason...
- Modified3019 3y agoIn alfalfa, leafcutting bees are used, which are also “solitary” (often gregarious). Honestly they’re much more pleasant to be among when walking alfalfa. Honeybees (or at least the old “guard” bees) which are used in the blueberry fields here, can become angry when large clouds move and cause things to suddenly go from shaded to full sun. If it’s consistently either they’re fine, but I’ve been run out of fields a few times before I fully realized what to avoid.