While people are worried about the effects the disappearance of honey bees will have on the pollination of food producing plants, there should be more focus on Australian native bees, according to Western Australian museum research associate Dr Terry Houston. 

According to Dr Houston there are roughly 2000 species of native bees that have been identified in Australia, and more being discovered all the time. This represents a fraction of bee species worldwide with The University of Queensland saying there are over 20,700 different species of bees internationally.

Dr Houston said native bees are essential to the ecosystem, but they are under threat from loss of habitat due to clearing for agriculture and housing as well as more extensive and frequent fires. He also said introduced plants such as buffel grass choke out habitats and compete with native flowers, eliminating bees’ food sources. 

While many people think honey bees are vitally important, they compete with birds for nesting hollows and rob native bees of the chance to feed on nectar and pollen, Dr Houston said. 

Dr Houston said honey bees have the status of vermin in many people’s minds and better management of honey bee hives to stop them from going feral is needed to keep native bees safe. 

Colony Bees Association director Spencer White is an advocate for the protection of all wild free-living honey bees and their habitat. He said there should be a focus on raising awareness and encouraging education about bees in the lead up to World Bee Day on May 20. 

Bees are responsible for pollination, but they also play a part in air purification through the exchange of gases within the hive, they clear a lot of air space, Mr White said. 

Mr White said the best way to boost the bee population is to provide a place for bees to nest. This can be done by planting native trees like eucalyptus river red gum which will develop nesting hollows and provide a home. He also said planting high nutrient plants such as thyme, rosemary and lavender provide food options and attract bees to people’s gardens.

Different types of bees pollinate different flowers and so they are essential for the ecosystem. “The way that you protect bees is the way you protect all bees, it is not dependent on species,” said Mr White 

Consultant for the Wheen Bee Foundation Dr Megan Halcroft said while people are often just trying to help, getting a honey bee hive is the worst thing people can do. She said this only introduces more competition for native animals and lots of extra mouths to feed as, according to the Australian Academy of Science, a honeybee hive can be made up of 60,000-80,000 individuals. 

Dr Halcroft said the honey bee will never go extinct, as we as a human race will never let them. She said even with the introduction of varroa mites into Australia this will only affect feral honey bee colonies, as it can be managed in domestic hives. 

Dr Halcroft said within 3–5 years we could lose up to 95 per cent of our feral colonies, but this is not a bad thing. A reduction in wild populations will greatly benefit not only native bees, but also birds who compete with feral honey bees for nesting hollows. 

“People don’t realise how invasive honey bees are,” she said and while we need them for agriculture, we do not need them in the environment. 

For World Bee Day Dr Halcroft encourages people to plant as many diverse flowering plants as possible. This ensures there is a food source year round for Australian native bees emerging in different seasons. 

She also urges people to become more educated on Australia’s native insects and to “think before we squash” to ensure the protection of our wildlife.