BEES, BUMBLE

Among the pasture crops of New Zealand are red clover and lucerne which are self-sterile because their flower structure requires certain types of insects to pollinate them. Although honey bees had been introduced in 1839, red clover did not set seed. But in 1885 and 1905 the bumble bee was introduced and proved so successful a pollinator that soon there was seed for export. Today there are four species in the South Island but little is known of their habits and ecology.