Crop Pollination by Bees, Volume 1: Evolution, Ecology, Conservation, and Management

The collapse of the ubiquitous honey bee population during the past 35 years has caused a pollination vacuum for many crops. Surveys and grower experience indicate that a crisis exists in pollinator populations. This book is a practical research-based guide to using bees for crop pollination. It emphasizes conserving feral bee populations as well as more traditional methods of culturing honey bees and other bees. There are two main sections that address the biology of pollination, and culturing and managing bees for optimum crop pollination. Volume 1 is intended as a practical guide to bees and how they pollinate essential crops. providing simple, succinct advice on how to increase bee abundance and pollination. Volume 2 (also available from CABI) provides the reader with information on bee pollination of specific crops. Both volumes will be essential reading for farmers, horticulturalists, and gardeners, and researchers and professionals working in insect ecology and conservation, and students of entomology and crop protection.