Question at position 28 You are an almond farmer in California, and so is Mr. Peabody, your neighbor. One day, Mr. Peabody shares his plan for the upcoming season and says: “this season I don’t plan on renting hives”. What kind of advice can you provide him?Bad idea, because only honey bees can pollinate almond flowers. In fact native bees avoid almonds when going through and searching for nectarGood idea, and much cheaper that way, because our many Californian native bees that are active in February every year can take care of the pollinations needs of the 100 hectares you haveBad idea, because only millions of honey bees brought to the sides of your large and densely planted almond farm can efficiently pollinate the almonds flower in the span of a few weeks in February

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question context: You are an almond farmer in California, and your neighbor Mr. Peabody plans not to rent hives this season. You must evaluate the pollination advisory options.
Option A: 'Bad idea, because only honey bees can pollinate almond flowers. In fact native bees avoid almonds when going through and searching for nectar' This is misleading. While honey bees are highly effective pollinators for almonds, it is not accurate to claim 'only honey bees can pollinate almond flowers' or that native bees universally avoid almonds. Some native bees can contribute to pollination, but they generally do not achieve the same almond yield and timing as managed honey bee hives, especially in large, monoculture almond plantings. The blanket assertion about native bees avoiding almonds is incorrect and oversimplified.
Option B: 'Good idea, and much cheaper that way, because our many Californian native bees that are active in February every year can take care of the pollinations needs of the 100 hectares you have' This option overestimates the pollination capacity of native bees in large almond blocks. Native bees provide some pollination, but almond growers typically rely on managed honey bees to achieve adequate fruit set and to meet the tight bloom window. Claiming that native bees can handle 100 hectares in February for efficient pollination underestimates their effectiveness and scheduling.
Option C: 'Bad idea, because only millions of honey bees brought to the sides of your large and densely planted almond farm can efficiently pollinate the almonds flower in the span of a few weeks in February' This statement aligns with common agricultural practice: almonds have a very short, synchronized bloom in February/March, and large-scale pollination is primarily achieved by renting and placing thousands to millions of honey bee colonies near the orchards. Honey bees are particularly well-suited for timed, intensive pollination during the narrow flowering window; relying solely on native pollinators would typically be inadequate for efficient production in dense plantings.
Misconceptions to watch for across options: 
- Overgeneralizing about native bees’ ability to replace honey bees in almond pollination. Native bees can contribute, but often do not match the pollination efficiency and timing required for commercial almond yields.
- Assuming pollination success is primarily determined by cost savings without considering yield and timing. In almonds, timing and pollination density are crucial, which is why managed honey bees are widely used despite costs.
- The importance of the bloom window: almonds bloom for a relatively short period, making the presence of pollinators during that window essential for good yields.
In summary, Option C correctly reflects the general industry understanding that efficient almond pollination at scale during the February bloom is heavily dependent on large numbers of honey bees, whereas Option A contains incorrect absolutes about native bees, and Option B overstates the capabilities and cost savings of native bees for large-scale, timely pollination.

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Question at position 40 What happens if a raspberry is poorly pollinated by bees?Raspberries are smaller and lighterNothing because raspberries are wind pollinatedNothing because raspberries are self pollinating

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