[Pollinator] Response to Time Magazine article

[Peter Bernhardt]

Should we write a response to TIme Magazine based on their "A World Without
Bees" Vol. 182, No. 8?  If you read it you probably found errors and/or
misleading statements.  The tone of the letter should be friendly.  We
would introduce our organization and thank them for presenting a piece
devoted to a major scientific and economic concern.  We could then itemize
some problems with the article,  I'm most concerned with the "Society in a
box" (pages 28-29) and the "Impact on the Farm" graph (pp. 30-31).
 Colleagues may wish to comment on the following the issues below and/or
add to them.

1) The earliest known honeybee specimen (Apis mellifera) is NOT 200 million
years old.  If that were true it would predate the earliest flower fossils
by, at least, 80 million years.  Am I off on this?
2) The Breeds.  Bombus (to pollinate tomatoes), Apis cerana and blue
orchard bees are also kept commercially.
3) Anatomy. Is everyone happy with their definition of the proboscis as an
airtight tube that sucks nectar?  I always thought a honeybee lapped nectar
with her spoon-like glossa and did not suck nectar.  Am I off on this?
4) Anatomy. Yes, honeybees do have an electrostatic charge but most of the
pollen they pick is is by actively scraping male flower organs. Why didn't
they mention the corbiculae its well pictured in the photograph?
5) Impact on the farm.  This is misleading.  Asparagus, broccoli, onion,
celery do not require pollination prior to harvest.  We would find them
distasteful if they were.  They need pollination to generate supplies of
commercial seeds for farmers and gardeners.

Peter Bernhardt
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