The bias in favor of maladapted but manageable honey bees is clearly illustrated byalfalfa (lucerne) pollination. Henslow (1867)first reported the tripping mechanism of theflower, and he noted that honey bees tookonly nectar, without tripping (pollinating).This was confirmed repeatedly (Müller,1873; Brand and Westgate, 1909; Westgate, 1911; Piper et al, 1914; Hadfield andCalder, 1936; Tysdal, 1940; Knowles, 1943;Linsley, 1946; Akerberg and Lesins, 1949;Stephen, 1955; Semmens et al, 1993; manymore recent authors). Other species of bees(especially Megachile) tripped the flowersand were soon found by astute observersto be efficient pollinators (Brand and Westgate, 1909; Piper et al, 1914; Archer, 1917;Sladen, 1918; Helmbold, 1929; Hadfield andCalder, 1936; Salt, 1940; Tysdal, 1940;Knowles, 1943; Stapel, 1943; Linsley, 1946;Akerberg and Lesins, 1949). Recommendations for conservation of habitats wherebees could nest (Vansell, 1951; Franklin,1952; Stephen, 1955), and the rearing ormanagement of selected bee species(Knowles, 1943; Peck and Bolton, 1946;Bohart, 1972) began to be made as populations of native bees crashed, due to thenew use of insecticides and the continuingdestruction of habitat. In 1943, a Canadiangrower, WD Clarke, first raised Megachile foralfalfa pollination (Peck and Bolton, 1946).Nevertheless, because honey bees weremanageable and could distribute pollen fromheat-stressed, open flowers, they still werepromoted by scientists and others for alfalfapollination everywhere (Akerberg andLesins, 1949; Vansell, 1951; Franklin, 1952;Anon, 1973; Levin, 1983; Olmstead and
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