[Pollinator] purchasing bumble bee colonies

[Sarina Jepsen]

Last week, Mary Smith sent an email to the Pollinator listserve 
requesting information on how to purchase bumble bee hives in Oregon 
for gourd pollination. I responded directly to her, but wanted to 
share the response with the rest of the listserve (see below).

Sarina Jepsen

To: mxmayor at aim.com
Subject: bumble bees

Hi Mary,

I'm writing you in response to your request to purchase a hive of 
bumble bees in Oregon that was posted on the Pollinator listserve. 
The Xerces Society supports the Oregon Department of Agriculture 
regulations that prohibit the importation of the common eastern 
bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) into Oregon. Oregon is far outside of 
the bumble bee's native range, and allowing this bee into Oregon may 
spread harmful diseases to wild populations of native Oregon bumble 
bees. We have seen a decline in wild populations of many species of 
native bumble bees in North America, possibly due to the movement of 
commercial bumble bees and subsequent spread of disease (for more 
information, please see: www.xerces.org/bumblebees).

That said, there are a number of things you can do to encourage local 
bumble bees and other pollinators to inhabit your farm, from planting 
a hedgerow with flowers that bloom throughout the growing season, to 
installing nest blocks (for tunnel nesting bees), to exercising 
caution with your use of pesticides. If you would like more 
information on some things that you can do to enhance native 
pollinators on your farm, I would be happy to send you some.

Best of luck,
Sarina Jepsen


>From: "Mary Smith" <mxmayor at aim.com>
>To: <pollinator at nappc.org>
>Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 11:18:50 -0700
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>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:mxmayor at aim.com>Mary Smith
>To: <mailto:pollinator at lists.sonic.net>pollinator at lists.sonic.net
>Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 8:32 AM
>Subject: Looking to purchase Bumblebees
>
>Hi - We are looking to purchase bumblebees to pollinate our gourds, 
>which we sell.
>Oregon is the only state that does not allow the delivery of 
>bumblebees from outside sources.  We have been using Mason Orchard 
>Bees, but our gourd crop has not been producing as well as in the 
>past and the Masons are most active prior to gourd pollination.  We 
>would like to purchase a hive of bumblebees.  Can you point me in 
>the right direction.
>
>Under current conditions the State of Oregon is doing everything 
>possible to inhibit ag and small producers like us don't stand a 
>chance of having a voice in Salem!
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Thanks, Mary Smith
>_______________________________________________
>Pollinator mailing list
>Pollinator at lists.sonic.net
>http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/pollinator


________________________________________
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that
protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their
habitat. To join the Society, make a contribution, or read about our
work, please visit <http://www.xerces.org/>www.xerces.org

Sarina Jepsen
Endangered Species Coordinator
4828 SE Hawthorne Blvd.  Portland, OR  97215
tel: 503-232-6639     fax: 503-233-6794
email: sarina at xerces.org
________________________________________
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