🔗 Share this article

People all around desires to protect bee populations. Celebrities like a well-known actress and an international football star have publicly endorsed honeybee conservation. However, this movement might be causing unintended damage to wild pollinators.

The Issue with Domestic Beekeeping

Although farming Apis mellifera produces tasty natural sweetener, it offers little to support native pollinators. Actually, popular movements to “protect pollinators” have raised awareness, but managed bee colonies aren't disappearing – installing apiaries is similar to raising poultry to conserve native bird species.

Meanwhile, an enormous variety of insect pollinators – including around 270 types of non-colonial bees and 25 kinds of bumblebee – are facing a serious threat. Many of these species are becoming rarer annually.

Rivalry for Resources

Managed bees are vital for fertilizing food crops, but research indicates that where honeybee numbers increase, they negatively impact wild pollinators – particularly in regions where they are introduced, such as Australia and America.

Large populations of Apis mellifera can actively harm native bee populations because they dominate them for food resources. They can travel longer distances than native species, and a bee colony can house up to fifty thousand individuals – much higher than the nests of native bees. That's not a concern when flowers are plentiful, but in environments where nourishment are limited, native pollinators may struggle to find food.

Scientific Evidence

Studies from places like Southern California show that wild-living honeybees can remove as much as eighty percent of pollen on the first day a flower opens. That results in almost no pollen for the more than 700 species of native bees in the area, some of which haven't been spotted for decades.

“Circumstances matter,” stated a leading expert. “Under certain conditions, non-native bees monopolize food resources to the detriment of native pollinators.”

What Can Be Done

For people who wish to support every pollinator, the best way is to grow a diverse range of blooming plants that flower from the start of spring until the end of fall. Many so-called “weedy” plants are rich sources of pollen and nectar, so avoid herbicides. Keep areas undisturbed where solitary bees and bumble bees can make homes. Additionally, cut lawns infrequently – that may boost bee abundance by up to 30%.

Main Points

• Managed bees aren't endangered, but many wild bees are.
• Large numbers of honeybees can compete with native species for food.
• Growing varied flowers and reducing lawn mowing may benefit all pollinators.

In summary, greater understanding of local pollinators is encouraging, and more people now understand that honeybees are non-indigenous to many parts of the globe. Through better education and targeted conservation actions, we can aid all managed and wild bee populations.