Loftwings and Demons

Do Farmed Honeybees Harm Wild Bees?

Wild pollinator numbers are decreasing worldwide. Some of the main causes for this are habitat loss, climate change, chemicals, disease, parasites and invasive species. Even though habitat loss is the leading cause for pollinator decline, the addition of farmed honey bees into their environment may be adding additional pressure. 

Wild pollinators form a crucial part of the ecosystem and we wouldn’t be able to survive without them. They not only pollinate native wild plants, but they also pollinate food crops alongside farmed honey bees; in some cases, wild pollinators are more successful. An example of this would be a stimulating buzz produced by solitary bees and bumblebees that triggers a flower to release pollen; honey bees can’t do this.

Honey bees are an invasive species to most of the world. Unfortunately, even when honey bees are farmed where they are native, they still have a negative impact on wild pollinators.