[Pollinator] Conserving honey bees does not help wildlife

[David Inouye]

Interesting example.  If you've published about that phorid please send 
a citation. Thanks. I don't think we have those at my high-altitude 
study site (Rocky Mtn. Biological Lab).

David


On 2/21/2018 10:24 AM, Stephen Pryor wrote:
>
> Not true that healthier honey bees equal healthier honeybees.
>
>
> Beyond resource competition,
>
> I do a lot of bombus research here on the central coast in California. 
> I and have found much greater infestation by the phorid fly, 
> /Apocephalis borealis/ of queen/Bombus caliginosis/when collecting 
> near established honeybee apiaries compared to when collecting in 
> remote areas.
>
> It's long known that this native bee parasite has jumped host species 
> into non-native honeybees.  It's also probable that honeybees are 
> acting as a season round perennial host for this parasite.  Thus, when 
> bombus queens emerge from their overwintering in pocket gopher burrows 
> they are confronted with much higher numbers of phoned flies. This has 
> probably changed the seasonal dynamics of this parasite on native bees.
>
>
> This is probably not the only case where honeybees act as a perennial 
> reservoir for what where initially annual parasites. I imagine the 
> same is true for any number of hymenopteran pests and pathogens.
>
>
> Stephen Pryor
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Pollinator 
> <pollinator-bounces+sjpryor=hotmail.com at lists.sonic.net> on behalf of 
> Maraiah Russell <maraiah.russell at kidszoo.org>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, February 21, 2018 6:10 AM
> *To:* David Inouye; pollinator at coevolution.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Pollinator] Conserving honey bees does not help wildlife
> 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...
>
> Maraiah Russell
> ________________________________________
> From: Pollinator 
> [pollinator-bounces+maraiah.russell=kidszoo.org at lists.sonic.net] on 
> behalf of David Inouye [dwinouye at gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2018 12:04 AM
> To: pollinator at coevolution.org
> Subject: [Pollinator] Conserving honey bees does not help wildlife
>
> I can send a PDF if you want one.
>
> Geldmann, J. and J. P. González-Varo (2018). "Conserving honey bees does
> not help wildlife." Science 359(6374): 392-393.
>
> David
>
>
>
> --
> Dr. David W. Inouye
> Professor Emeritus
> Department of Biology
> University of Maryland
>
> Principal Investigator
> Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
>
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-- 
Dr. David W. Inouye
Professor Emeritus
Department of Biology
University of Maryland

Principal Investigator
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

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