<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;color:#660000">You make a great point, Maraiah; I do not think this is an "either / or" situation, but an "and." Helping honeybees with their plights will be beneficial to minimize risk of disease spread to native pollinators, but that is not the only issue when these two mix. I am sure we are all familiar with the issues presented by competition from nonnative species, which has been the growing concern in recent articles. This is why, more than ever, it is important to make sure the public is aware of the differences between and importance of both honeybees and native pollinators.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;color:#660000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;color:#660000">The issue I have seen firsthand is farmers thinking they are benefiting all pollinators and doing all they can by simply not spraying near honeybee nest boxes. Although a flagship species can be extremely beneficial to raise awareness and support, continued education surrounding the additional species affected (in this case, native pollinators) is essential to properly inform landowners to promote the most beneficial conservation practices. For future food security, biodiversity, and environmental amelioration, we need to move forward with the "and" in mind; improving honeybee health and also providing the necessary attention and support for our native pollinators.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Feb 21, 2018 at 8:10 AM, Maraiah Russell <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:maraiah.russell@kidszoo.org" target="_blank">maraiah.russell@kidszoo.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">So, to stir the pot a bit, wouldn't healthier honeybees be good as they wouldn't spread disease to wild bees? And the efforts being put forth by farmers to include wildflower strips on their land, that wouldn't have happened without the threat to honeybees, but should also benefit wild bees/pollinators. I just think that we can't possibly help one pollinator species without helping all. I understand the messaging to the public is wrong, but what the public really cares about is access to the variety of food they want. Monocrops aren't going to disappear anytime soon, and honeybees are needed to maintain those. It's not an idea situation, but if we take measures to support honeybees I think it will only support native pollinators as well. I'd love to hear discussion...<br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
Maraiah Russell<br>
______________________________<wbr>__________<br>
From: Pollinator [pollinator-bounces+maraiah.<wbr>russell=<a href="mailto:kidszoo.org@lists.sonic.net">kidszoo.org@lists.<wbr>sonic.net</a>] on behalf of David Inouye [<a href="mailto:dwinouye@gmail.com">dwinouye@gmail.com</a>]<br>
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2018 12:04 AM<br>
To: <a href="mailto:pollinator@coevolution.org">pollinator@coevolution.org</a><br>
Subject: [Pollinator] Conserving honey bees does not help wildlife<br>
</font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
I can send a PDF if you want one.<br>
<br>
Geldmann, J. and J. P. González-Varo (2018). "Conserving honey bees does<br>
not help wildlife." Science 359(6374): 392-393.<br>
<br>
David<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Dr. David W. Inouye<br>
Professor Emeritus<br>
Department of Biology<br>
University of Maryland<br>
<br>
Principal Investigator<br>
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory<br>
<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><font color="#4c1130" face="'times new roman', serif"><div dir="ltr"><font color="#660000" face="'times new roman', serif" size="2" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">_________________________</font></div></font><div dir="ltr"><font color="#4c1130" face="'times new roman', serif"><font color="#660000" face="times new roman,serif" size="2" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><strong><em>Shannon M. Westlake</em></strong></font></font></div><div><font color="#783f04" face="'times new roman', serif">Graduate Research Assistant, Lab Coordinator</font></div><div><font color="#783f04" face="Times New Roman">Human Dimensions Laboratory</font></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#783f04" face="'times new roman', serif">Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture</font></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#783f04" face="Times New Roman">Mississippi State University</font></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#783f04" face="Times New Roman"><a href="mailto:smw750@msstate.edu" target="_blank">smw750@msstate.edu</a> </font></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#38761d" face="'times new roman', serif"><i>"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt</i></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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