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Don’t Cry For The Honey Bee, They’re Invasive
Declining populations are a concern to some but honey bees were never here naturally
Honey bee populations are declining in North America. On its face, that sounds like a bad thing. Much ado has been made about the declining populations of honey bees as of late and it has made many people think that the honey bee deaths are a sign of impending environmental decline. What those alarmist articles often fail to share is that the honey bee is an invasive species in the Americas.
Honey bees are not a natural insect to the New World and were brought over by the Spanish during the 1600s. Honey bees are useful insects as they pollinate many American crops and have a positive economic benefit. But that does not mean that they have an environmental benefit.
A very invasive species
The honey bee is so invasive that the United States Geological Survey (USGS) advises people not to release honey bees into green spaces and conservation areas. That is because the invasive honey bee will out compete natural North American bees that have been here for thousands of years. There are hundreds of at risk native bee populations in the Americas that do not get nearly the same attention and love that the invasive honey bee gets.
