Silent Spring Revisited

[Doug Yanega]

Chris Conlan wrote:

>OK, I'm sure we are all very saddened to see bees killed and understand how
>important they are to so many of our crops.  However, let's not propagandize
>their plight with false information.  Tasteless melons and curled cucumbers
>have nothing to do with bee visits!  The bees just pollinate, they don't add
>flavor and texture (unless of course, you eat them along with your fruit)!

Actually, Dave is right. The AMOUNT of pollen can affect the
characteristics of the fruit - if not enough pollen is deposited to
fertilize ALL of the ovules, then the fruit of many cucurbits will be
stunted in one way or another when it matures.

Peace,


Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
phone: (909) 787-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
                http://insects.ucr.edu/staff/yanega.html
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82