[Pollinator] FW: for discussion: should honeybees be allowed intoconservation/protected areas?

[Michael Warriner]

While research on the effects of European honeybees on native bee populations is far from clear, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that these non-native bees do have the potential to negatively impact native bee communities as well as aid the proliferation of certain invasive plant species.  The statement "The bees and native pollinators will and do co-exist just fine" may not actually be reality in the field unless it has been tested.
 
Goulson, D.  2003.  Effects of introduced bees on native ecosystems.  Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 34: 1-26.  
http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/people/goulson/documents/annrevecolsyst2003.pdf

It is true that bee populations exhibit substantial spatial and temporal variability, but to say it is impossible to discern any impact from European honeybees though is far off the mark.  It seems intuitive that the addition of tens of thousands of new nectar and pollen foraging bees at a site would have the potential to lower the standing crop available to the native resident bees (which has been shown through research) with cascading impacts on those natives (which has been shown through research).  

Dupont Y.L., Hansen D.M., Valido A., Olesen J.M.  2004.  Impact of introduced honey bees on native pollination interactions of the endemic Echium wildpretii (Boraginaceae) on Tenerife, Canary Islands.  Biological Conservation 118: 301–311.

Goulson, D. and K.R. Sparrow.  2009.  Evidence for competition between honeybees and bumblebees; effects on bumblebee worker size.  Journal of Insect Conservation 13: 177-181.

Gross C.L.  2001.  The effect of introduced honeybees on native bee visitation and fruit-set in Dillwynia
juniperina (Fabaceae) in a fragmented ecosystem.  Biological Conservation 102: 89–95.

Schaffer W.M., Zeh D.W., Buchmann S.L., Kleinhans S., Schaffer M.V., Antrim J.  1983.  Competition for nectar between introduced honey bees and native North American bees and ants.  Ecology 64: 564-577.

Generally, the stated goal of natural area conservation is to maintain the integrity of that native system and all its parts (animal and plant).  The addition of non-native bees does not fit in that goal given the potential harm to native bees.

Michael Warriner




 

I believe they should as long as there are accessible roads that won't interfere with public walking trails and various areas of use to the public. I currently have honey bees on the Armond Bayou Conservation land in Houston, TX. We have our own access point away from the public where the bees do not interfere. Also, it is a win-win situation as I have a location to keep bees and the care-takers  get to enjoy honey that I share with them. The bees and native pollinators will and do co-exist just fine. The only threat of disease is the thousands of shipments of cargo containers being imported into U.S. on a daily basis where less than 2% are inspected. This is where mites, hive beetles, nosema ceranae....etc... have invaded and decimated our nations domestic honey bees.

 

In my opinion wherever possible if beekeepers could have access to conservation areas that have enough flowers to make sense to keep bees there, it would be a benefit to our country where only good will be the outcome.

 



 

 

 

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