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Abstract
We develop a model of honey bee foraging behavior that can be used to
simulate crop yields as functions of honey bee densities. These yield functions help
us understand the economic behavior of growers who rely on bees for pollination.
One important simulation result for the case of almonds is that the production
function facing growers is close to one of fixed proportion in pollination input.
Accordingly, the modeling of the foraging behavior of bees provides an explanation
for the observed lack of variation in pollinator use and shows how the behavior of
bees and growers are connected.