[Pollinator] for discussion: should honeybees be allowed into conservation/protected areas?

[Peter Loring Borst]

Here, one of the most invasive species, the non-native African honey bee, failed to impact native bee populations in Panama:

> To provide replicate samples of local bee populations in a nature preserve, light traps operated continuously on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, collected bees for 17 years, including 10 years following invasion by African Apis mellifera. Honey bees appeared in light traps as the first swarms colonized the Panama Canal area. Their numbers followed seasonal trends shown in independent studies, thus indicating bee abundance and activity in a large area. 

> No measurable population-level impact of competition between this invading honey bee and native bees, despite many demonstrations of resource competition at flower patch and colony levels, changed annual abundances of all 15 native bee species. Native bee abundance did not decrease, nor did native bees show substantial reciprocal yearly change with honey bee abundance. Native bee populations did not decline during the 10 years after arrival of honey bees. In fact, the 15 species jointly showed a slight increase during the entire 17-year period.

Do competing honey bees matter? Dynamics and abundance of native bees before and after honey bee invasion. David W. Roubik · Henk Wolda. Popul Ecol (2001) 43:53–62