Managed Pollinator CAP Coordinated Agricultural Project Wild Bee Status & Evidence For Pathogen 'Spillover' With Honey Bees

摘要

For pollination services in the majority of fruit and vegetable industries, honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) remain the most economically valuable. However, many other species of native and a few species of managed bees are important contributors to pollination (Berenbaum et al. 2007, Winfree et al. 2007, James and Pitts-Singer 2008). In fact, for some crops, honey bees are less effective pollinators when compared to other bee species (Klein et al. 2007, Dafni et al. 2010) such as some solitary bees (e.g. Andrenidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae) or the social bumble bee (Bombus). However, only a few species of non-Apis pollinators have been successfully cultured and are available commercially. Bumble bees are playing an increasingly large role as managedpollinators, with many thousands of reared colonies used for pollination around the world, particularly for tomatoes and bell pepper in greenhouse facilities. In North America, Bombus impatiens Cresson is now the only commercially significant species and alfalfa leafcutting bees, red mason bees, and blue orchard bees are also cultured (James and Pitts-Singer 2008).