Native Bees vs. Honey Bees
Orchard Mason Bee Most people tend to group all 'bees' into
Honey Bee one category, usually assuming that they all make honey and they all will sting. Not true! There are more than 30,000 species of native bees on our planet, and the majority do not sting or produce honey. However, as pollinators, native bees (NBs) do have a number of clear advantages over honey bees (HBs):
- NBs are literally ten times more efficient at pollinating than HBs.
- NBs can fly in light rain and at colder temps than HBs.
- NBs are faster fliers than HBs, so can pollinate more plants more quickly.
- Unlike HBs, NB males are also good pollinators.
- NB's don't get disoriented in greenhouses like HBs do which makes them useful in commercial agriculture.
- Africanized HBs invade HB hives, but will not attack the nests of HBs.
- NBs are not susceptible to the diseases and parasites that are killing HBs.
How telling is this?
Native Americans called honey bees "the white man's flies."
There were NO honey bees on the North American continent until the 1630’s when the colonists brought them to Jamestown, Virginia so they could harvest their honey.