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There are not enough bees in many orchards to insure the 
setting of a full crop of fruit in years when weather conditions are 
not favorable for maximum insect activity at blooming time. 
REASONS FOR INADEQUACY OF WILD POLLINATING INSECTS 
Authorities universally admit the importance of wild insects in 
pollinating agricultural crops; yet no State or Federal organization is 
especially concerned with the conservation of beneficial insects. It is 
apparent, therefore, that the destruction of pollinating insects has not 
been fully recognised as the important cause of decreased seed and fruit 
production in many crops that are benefited by insect pollination. 
In considering the part played by wild pollinating insects, it should 
be borne in mind that most species, with the exception of bumblebees, are 
solitary insects and reproduce slowly, and since the females have to fly 
in search of food they are subjected to such hazards as weather, fast- 
moving automobiles, natural enemies, etc. Many of the solitary bees are 
ground-nesting and are consequently easily destroyed in areas where agri- 
cultural practices demand frequent cultivation of the soil. 
Certain species of flies, beetles, and other insects effect pollina- 
tion but are considered of minor importance. 
Megee, C. R., and Kelty, R. M. 
1932. The influence of bees upon clover and alfalfa seed production. 
Mich. Agr. Expt. Sta. Quart. Bui. Us 271-277. 
p. 271: It is common observation that along with the 
decrease in the numbers of bumble bees and other wild bees there has 
been a decrease in the production of clover seed. 
p. 277: Bumble bees are effective pollinating agents, but, 
due to their relative scarcity in the clover and alfalfa seed pro- 
ducing districts of northern Michigan cannot be depended on for 
pollination purposes. 
Metcalf, C. L., and Flint, W. P. 
1928. Destructive and useful insectsj their habits and control. 
918 pp. New York. 
p. 264: Under farming conditions great changes take place in 
the character of the plants grown on the land . There are no longer 
a great number of species, generally intermixed, but a few species 
occupying the land in nearly pure stands of thousands and hundreds 
of thousands of acres. This affects the insect population of the 
land in two general ways. Many of those which depend on the plants 
of one family, or even on one species of plant, find their food supply 
