How protection of honey bees can help and hinder bee conservation

Pollinators are globally recognised for their role in ecosystem function and reports of pollinator declines are a source of public and academic concern. However, pollinator decline is often erroneously interpreted as if crop pollination services are under threat, which can lead to misguided efforts to protect introduced and/or widespread crop pollinating species that are not in decline, without addressing the needs of other imperilled species. The honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) in particular has widespread recognition for its role as an integral agricultural pollinator and is the focus of many pollinator campaigns. However, we argue outside of their native range that honey bees are inappropriate as umbrella or flagship species for the conservation of pollinators.

Automated summary

Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystem function worldwide, and concerns over their declining populations have led to efforts to protect them. However, it is important to focus conservation efforts on species truly at risk, rather than assuming all crop-pollinating species are under threat. The honey bee is widely recognized for its role in agricultural pollination, but may not be the best representative for pollinator conservation efforts outside of its native range.