Market Farming

["TxBeeFarmer" <TxBeeFarmer AT HotPop.com>]

I agree that pollen bees (solitary bees) are probably better pollinators
than normal honey bees, but the numbers of pollen bees, even if you raise
them, just can't compare to the number of honey bees in just one colony.
Just one healthy colony of honey bees will have between 40,000 and 60,000
bees.  It would be a massive undertaking to provide habitats and cultivate
anywhere near that many pollen bees.  I'm not saying don't try to increase
the number of pollen bees, but it's a very long term project.  Now days
there's a move to raise small honey bees.  They are also better pollinators
than standard sized honey bees and are resistant to the mites and diseases
that plague the larger ones.  FYI, I'm a small honey bee breeder and keeper.
If you'd like to know more about small honey bees, you can read the work of
Dee and Ed Lusby at:

http://beesource.com/pov/lusby/

Good Luck Allan

(West Texas) Mark

----- Original Message -----

Kevin wrote:

> Allan, try this ATTRA publication.  Some of the native
> bees make much better pollinators than honeybees.
>
> http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/nativebee.html
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