POLLINATOR SCIENCE time that correlated with Apis m. scutellata.8 Areas disturbed
by human impacts, noted declines in native bee community richness with increasing Africanized honey bee presence; presence of Apis m. scutellata were not examined.10 A study from 2009 examined pollen collection by native bees as a function of Apis m. scutellata shifts in pollen resource usage and the abandonment of competitively-used plant species.9
Lower bee diversity in
composition of the native pollinator community and thus lower pollination services were noted in highland coffee plantations when Apis m. scutellata was present.11 This indicates that host shifts can have reproductive consequences for plant-insect interaction. Island environments are uniquely
sensitive to perturbations and shifts in species composition. Three studies examined the responses of native bee communities on islands and their results differ. Within the Bonin Islands, an archipelago of over 30
“Carpenter bees and bumble bees bite into the base of
longer, tubular flowers. I’ve seen honey bees, stingless bees, and sweat bees all use this pre-chewed shortcut to drink nectar.”
subtropical and tropical islands located 1,000 km south of local extinctions of native bees on islands with Apis m. when compared to those that had not yet been colonized by western honey bees.12
Tenerife in the Canary Islands, some native bees shifted to foraging on other plants.13
On the rugged, volcanic island of Whereas in the study of Barro
Colorado Island mentioned above, no changes occurred in the native bee community after the arrival of Apis m. scutellata.9
Honey bees invading island environments is a
much different scenario than what exists on the mainland, as resources. Nonetheless, they are informative in that not all island populations respond in a consistent manner, indicating that the native bee community response to honey bees is likely resource and species dependent.
How to Test the Playing Field A true test of competition between honey bees and any native or wild bee, whereby both species are in competition for a limited resource, has not been conducted. out. Funding and time are also critical factors. Two studies of bumble bee worker size or larval production are close in design, but were not conducted in a strictly resource- limited environment.14,15
Developing the perfect experiment,
availability to be completely controlled while monitoring the
41 A honey bee
foraging on a crocus flower, an important early pollen source.
successful reproduction of native bees who were foraging on this one provided plant resource. as many native bee species that specialize on pollen are not monolectic, foraging on multiple pollen sources to secure their complete nutrition. Both lack of food and an incomplete diet can have impacts on growth, development, and reproduction. So when scientists attempt to minimize stress. We simply don’t know the complete nutritional requirements of the majority of native bee species, meaning that studies of continue to focus on a selected group of model bee genera (Bombus, Osmia, etc.). By focusing on these well- studied species, we limit our ability to provide broad predictions for the total native bee community.
What Do We Know Competition between honey bees and native bees or wild bees in the true sense is seldom investigated through
reproductive consequences from the competition. The the ultimate nature of honey bee and native bee interactions, we can deduce some best management practices. The addition of honey bee colonies to some landscapes will
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